


Prove It

by agreenbabywren



Series: Look [4]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Complete, F/M, Romance, Triggers, not a songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 07:02:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20671244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agreenbabywren/pseuds/agreenbabywren
Summary: Convinced GOT7 only wants to hire you to put a sexy new spin on their old choreography, you turn them down flat. Thinking that would be the end of it, you aren’t prepared for their leader’s response. JB is nothing if not persistent. Well, and sexy. Staying professional has never been so hard before. Jaebum x Reader





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so happy to finally be back with Part 4 of my Look series. Sorry to anyone who has been looking forward to me posting again sooner. I actually had this story outlined back in March, but as always, life got in the way for several months and then I followed that up with some really bad writer's block. Yeesh. 
> 
> I just really wanted to do JB justice, you know? Our leader is not a one-note sexy guy. He can be rather complex, but also a complete dork haha ;) I'm really happy with how he ended up coming across in my story. This actually ended up being my longest story yet and I'm really excited to share it with you! :) 
> 
> Like usual, this story is already complete and I will be getting the chapters posted as I finish editing them. They should all be up by the end of tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the story!!
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. I do not claim ownership over the individuals present in the story. The story I tell here is of my own invention and I do not claim it to be true. This story was written for my entertainment only and I am not profiting from the creation or publication of this story. I am a proud ahgase and I’m just having a little fun, so please don’t sue me :) Got7, fighting!

“You've got to be kidding me...”

With an angry sigh, you silently shift your eyes towards your Uncle in the driver’s seat. For some reason, he doesn't seem surprised by the unexpected guest waiting for you at your dance studio. Did he help plan this? You watch as he winces slightly at your annoyed expression before pulling the truck over to drop you off. “Now don’t be mad, honey,” he begins, turning towards you more fully. “He just wanted a chance to try to convince you in person.”

You roll your eyes at this, unimpressed. “I already said no.”

The twinkle in your Uncle's eyes as he chuckles and nods at this pisses you off slightly. He definitely planned this. “I know. You were loud and clear about that. Just hear him out, okay?”

Just resisting the urge to roll your eyes again, you scoff noncommittally. Grabbing your purse, you shoot your Uncle a grudging goodbye before hopping out. This was so unlike him. He usually always takes your side in everything, even if he doesn’t necessarily agree. Your Uncle is the one person who has always had your back and you respect him more than anyone because of that. 

That’s why you had been beyond excited when he had offered you the chance to consult on his latest job as a professional choreographer. It was your dream to be more than just a dance instructor and you had fought for many hard years to be taken seriously in your field. But that flighty feeling quickly bottomed out when your Uncle told you he wanted you to help with a special showcase performance for one of JYP's biggest male kpop groups. 

The maelstrom of emotions and memories that had surged through you upon hearing this had quickly manifested into a righteous anger. When you shut down the offer last week, you had thought that would be the end of it. It should have been the end of it. Tonight was a first. What was so special about this group that they could convince your Uncle to take their side over yours? There's no way you can see eye to eye on this one. 

Smoothing down the yellow sundress you had worn to dinner, you feel that anger simmering to life again as you step closer to your studio apprehensively. You can't help but glance curiously over the man waiting for you. JB. The leader of GOT7. Your Uncle had told you a bit about the group when he was trying to persuade you to work with them, but you were honestly a fan of their songs already. It wasn't that hard for you to recognize JB despite the dim light. 

Dressed stylishly in a checkered blazer and black jeans, JB exudes a quiet air of confidence. The soft wave of his bangs obscures his eyes slightly from your view, but you can feel his piercing gaze linger on you as he patiently waits for you to acknowledge him. A surprising amount of studs follow the curve of his ear, catching the last of the sunlight as you draw closer. 

You can't help but notice the quirk of a smile at the corner of JB’s mouth as he watches you move to unlock the door without a word. The image of a cat twitching its tail in anticipation pops into your mind, but his polite nod of thanks as you silently usher him inside throws you off slightly. He wasn’t arrogant like you had expected and he actually seemed to be very mature. Your eyes follow him, inexplicably intrigued.

As you flick on the lights of your dance studio, you watch JB take in the gleam of the steel poles positioned throughout the room. There is a contained energy to his lithe moments as he walks over to inspect one while you hang up your jacket . You can tell he desperately wants to try swinging around the pole by the child-like fascination on his face. You want to chuckle at the crack in his serious attitude.

As cute as his reaction is, it brings back the irritation you felt earlier. This wasn’t a game. Suddenly, you feel impatient to get this over with. “Listen, I don't know what my Uncle was thinking letting you come here.” JB turns away from the pole at the sound of your voice. He seems happy that you’re ready to speak to him, but the tense grip of his hand on the metal hints at an underlying nervousness. 

Before he can reply, you hold up a hand to stop him. “If I won't listen to him, I sure as hell won't listen to you.” You mentally smile in satisfaction as you watch a muscle twitch in JB’s jaw at your tone. You had gauged him to be around your age, but even then you knew you were being rude. Maybe if you make him angry enough, he'll just give up and leave? You really didn’t want to spend the night fighting about this issue with him. 

JB seems to have other plans though. Shaking off your words, he strides towards you, serious once more. You can see he is determined to argue his case, but you cut him off. “Look, I'm tired and I still have some work to do. And I'm just not interested.” Walking passed him with a negligent wave, you call back, “Shut the door on your way out.” 

Unbothered by the tense silence that stretches behind you, you walk towards the storeroom at the back, intent on finally completing that inventory check you've been putting off. The pressure of a firm, warm hand around your elbow is your only warning before JB quickly turns you back around to face him again.

“What the hell is your problem?”

You feel the cool brick of the wall against your exposed skin as you back up for more space, ready for a confrontation. Your breathing picks up as you stare up into livid narrow eyes that hold you in place. JB's chin juts out dangerously, riling you up as you cross your arms and hiss back, “I just don't want to work with you! I didn't become a choreographer so you can play around on poles to boost your sex appeal. So you can take your offer and shove it!”

The arm that shoots out by your head to stop your retreat gives you enough pause to take in JB's confused expression. He steps closer to you, running his fingers through his dark bangs as his eyes shift over your face curiously. You feel heat rush to your cheeks as you watch his pupils dilate, but refuse to look away even as he towers over you.

Caught up in your anger, you’re taken off guard by his next question. “What makes you think that's why we want to work with you?” Deflating slightly at the gentle tone of his voice, you shiver as JB continues to watch you. With a sigh, you admit bitterly, “That's what they always want. You’re not the first kpop group to ask me for a consult. That's…” You swallow down the lump in your throat as old hurts resurface. Now’s not the time for that. “That's not what pole dancing is about. At least not to me.”

Another soft nod, a quiet step closer… You can feel the heat radiating from JB's body as he closes the last of the distance between you with a whisper of, “I never thought it was.” You feel strangely flushed. An unspoken chemistry seems to jump between the both of you as your silence stretches. His understanding expression makes you want to believe in him, but you need to get to the truth of the matter. “Why **do** you guys wanna work with me then? What did my Uncle say to convince you?” 

The sudden dusting of red on JB's cheeks at this question is unexpectedly adorable. He ducks his head in embarrassment, breaking eye contact as he explains, “It was my idea actually. I overheard your Uncle bragging to Yugyeom about how well you had placed in your competition last month." You frown here as he continues enthusiastically, "I was blown away by the practice video he showed us of your routine.” 

Just as you start to think that you really need to tune up your Uncle for sharing private things with these guys, JB distracts you from your wrath with an excited smile. “I’d never seen anything like it before. Your choreography was so complex and full of emotion. It really spoke to me.” JB rubs the back of his head shyly at this, his eyes finding yours once more.

Warmth spreads through you at his praise, trickling all the way down to your toes. Finally, someone who can see your dancing clearly. You can't help the blissfully happy smile that transforms your face at the thought. JB seems pleased by your smile, gaining confidence as he finishes explaining, “I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew we had to ask for your help with this performance. It took a lot of convincing, but I finally got the others and the label to give it a try. That's why I came here tonight to try to convince you." A full grin splits his face as he adds, "I really want to work with you.”

You feel yourself caving even as a playful smirk lights up JB’s face further. “And anyway, we don't need help being sexy.” You can’t help the laugh that escapes you after such a cocky declaration. JB seems to be a bit put out as you reply with a chuckle, “Yeah, I guess you guys are pretty cute.” 

A comfortable silence floats between you as you smile at JB's barely perceivable pout. There was an energy to JB that pulled at you and made you want to trust him. Maybe this could work after all? His hopeful expression only makes you feel more guilty when you think of your rudeness earlier with a wince. “I guess…” You clear your throat awkwardly, feeling like a bit of a fool. “I guess we can give this a shot. I’m sorry about earlier,” you say, bowing your head in an earnest apology.

JB nods in understanding, stepping back bashfully when he realizes that he still has you trapped in place. You smile at his innocent expression. Just when you think you have a read on him, he shows a new side to himself that draws you in a little bit more. Rescuing you both from the quiet intimacy evolving in your prolonged silence, you admit, “I'll need the details about the showcase again though, I didn't keep any of the information my Uncle gave me last week.”

You’re surprised when JB grins again and pulls out some folded papers from his jacket pocket. You raise an eyebrow as you accept the papers with a playful, “Confident, huh?”. His returning smirk is all the answer you need as you chuckle and skim the details more closely than you did before. 

You knew that the performance was in a couple months and that it was for a special showcase on MNet that would be produced in partnership with JYP Entertainment. Their most popular groups had been asked to perform two routines for the showcase, the songs from their first and latest comeback wins on M! Countdown. It had already been marketed as a kind of ‘Look How Far They’ve Come’ night on social media. The audience passes for the recording had sold out in 15 minutes. The fans were obviously beyond excited to celebrate with their favourite idols.

Most groups probably wouldn't be changing their choreography for the showcase, but your Uncle had proudly told you that GOT7 always liked to push the envelope. They were looking for a new way to make their old song fresh and that’s where you would come in. As you leaf through the pages of your contract, you feel eager to get started. There are so many moves you would love to teach them. However, as you read through you begin to notice more details than you did last time. You read some of the stipulations out loud unconsciously, exasperated by the constraints they were putting on your creative input.

_ "1) Any changes in the choreography have to be incorporated within the original length of the song to fit within the broadcasting schedule. _Hmmm, so no dance breaks basically.” 

_ "2) While groups are encouraged to be creative, the performance should be reminiscent of the original intention of the song. We want audiences to be reminded of the past. _Okay...”

_ "3) Members cannot be put at risk during this new training. Practices will take place once a week for two hours with appropriate breaks. Any new choreography will have to be incorporated within these scheduled practices or it will not be included in the performance. _ That'll _totally_ work…”

_ "4) Moves which may result in serious injuries are to be avoided. Members are prohibited from moves that increase the risk of head injury. _Guess you guys aren’t hanging upside down then!”

Your brows crinkle as you try to absorb all this new information. “It sure sounds like your managers weren't really on board with this idea.” The sound of JB chuckling in amusement irks you, making your voice raise slightly in pitch as you demand, “Well, how am I supposed to incorporate new choreography for ‘Fly’ in such a short amount of time if there are all these dumb rules?”

JB leans forward, bringing his face closer to yours again as his smile teases you. “What, don't think you can do it?” 

You laugh, finding yourself exhilarated by the playful challenge. “Fine, but don't think I'll go easy on you!” 

Grinning, JB checks his beeping phone as you snag a pen from your purse and sign the contract. No go backs now. “I better head out," JB says, pointing to the time. "My free time's up.” He snags your papers and waves as he heads for the door, calling back, “Don’t worry about me. I'll be ready for whatever you throw at me. See you next week!” 

You bite your lip and shake your head as the door swings shut behind him. He really is kinda cute. This might actually be _ fun_.


	2. Chapter 2

Wiping the sweat off your brow, you grin as you complete the final spin in the cool down routine. Several pleased faces dismount with you as you move to shut off the music. “I am so impressed you guys! I can’t believe how quickly you’ve become comfortable with the new move we started last week." You place your hands on your hips in playful consternation. "I’ll have to think up a new challenge for you!” You laugh as your more enthusiastic students cheer at this before packing up their gear and bidding you farewell. 

As your advanced pole fitness class comes to an end, you linger by the door to catch your most talented student on her way out. A couple years younger than you, she seems embarrassed when you ask to speak with her while she waits for her older brother to pick her up. “I saw you add that extra move in the choreo today,” you say, impressed. “You’re a natural."

Red curls swing to block her eyes as she ducks her head bashfully at your compliment. You smile, throwing your arm out to open the door for her as you both move to wait outside in the nice weather. “I know I sound like a broken record, but if you ever want to join my artistic expression courses or enter a local competition, you would be more than welcome. I would love to choreograph something for you.”

Just as she seems to be considering your offer, you hear a chuckle as her brother snakes a hand around your waist. “I’ll convince her for you, if you finally let me take you out on that date,” he says confidently with an exaggerated wink. You scowl, shirking off his touch as he grins despite your discomfort. You couldn’t stand him. He was always rather handsy and he really didn’t know how to take no for an answer. 

Even as you cross your arms and stick your chin out defiantly, he continues to smirk at you in amusement. “No thanks, I’d rather she join because she wants to.” You turn to your student one last time, “Look, there’s an exhibition coming up if you’re interested. Think about it.” Her shy smile as she nods and walks towards the parking lot almost drowns out the annoyance you feel when her brother shoots you one last whistle before heading out himself. You’ll convince her one day, you’re sure of it!

Shaking your head, you turn back inside and lock the front doors as you quickly check the clock. There should be just enough time to shower, change and grab a snack before your last session of the day. As you climb the stairs at the back of the studio to your cozy one bedroom apartment on the second floor, your stomach does little flip flops thinking about tonight. This will be your first practice with GOT7 and you have no idea what to expect. 

Since meeting with JB, you’ve spent hours reviewing the “Fly” dance practice choreography, live performances of the song, the music video, anything you could get your hands on really. Pages of notes littered your room as you tried to wrap your mind around how to change the routine enough to incorporate the pole dancing while still meeting JYP’s stipulations. Feeling pretty confident in the plan you came up with, you excitedly daydream about the routine as you jump in the shower. You can’t wait to see if the boys can pull it off.

The sound of a doorbell ringing has your pulse jumping as you finish pulling on the last of your new clothes. Cursing, you rush out of your apartment and back down the stairs with your still wet hair hanging around your shoulders. You really should have kept better track of the time instead of spending too long in the shower. In your haste, you clumsily trip down the last few steps and just manage to stop yourself from slamming into the door. 

JB wide eyes take in your slightly disheveled appearance when you finally unlock the front door to the dance studio after he knocks for a third time. In the light of the setting sun, you notice how different he looks now from when you saw him last. He must have been dressed up for a work schedule before. His soft straight hair, long sleeved sweater and gym shorts are much more relaxed and casual than last time, perfect for dancing. His surprise melts to amusement as he watches you catch your breath. The sound of a throat clearing shifts your eyes away from JB towards the rest of the members... who are staring between the two of you curiously and waiting to go in. Whoops. Man, you’re off to a great start.

Throwing the door open more fully, you bow apologetically and gesture for everyone to come in. “Sorry guys, I hope you weren’t waiting too long! I just need to grab a few things from the back and then we can get started. Go ahead and warm up with some stretches.” The noise level picks up significantly as everyone shuffles in, marvelling at the seven poles staggered around the room on elevated platforms. You smile at this, expecting their high energy levels after everything you had learned about them in the last week. 

Tying your hair up into a ponytail with the extra elastic you always keep on your wrist, you grab the display boards you made earlier from the storage room. A mix of circles and stick figures, the boards probably didn’t really look like much. But, you’re hoping they will help you get your point across more clearly when you try to explain the choreography you have in mind. 

As you slide the boards out into the main room, you once again notice JB approaching a pole curiously while the others have spread out to warm up. Just as his hand wraps around the cool metal surface, your best teacher voice cuts sharply across the noise. “I hope you’re not thinking of doing something unsafe, Jaebum-ah. You need to help Noona set an example as leader after all.” 

You laugh at JB’s shocked reaction as his head whips in your direction. He quickly pulls his hand off the bar like he’s been burned, his face an almost adorable mixture of confusion and embarrassment. He studies you momentarily with furrowed brows, but he is quickly sidetracked by some good-natured ribbing from the others.

“Oooooo!”

“Yeah, _ Jaebum-ah_!”

“Listen to Noona, _ Jaebum-ah_!”

JB shoots a glare at the cheeky maknaes as the others continue laughing at your chastisement. He almost looks like a guilty little kid when he sits back down to finish stretching with the others and this makes you want to laugh more. 

Usually you liked to get to know the people you are choreographing for so that you can keep their strengths and dance background in mind, but there hadn’t really been time for that with this job. So, you had asked your Uncle for a bit of help in the last week. He’d ended up providing you with bios for each of the members and you couldn’t resist teasing JB now that you know you’re a year older than him. 

Joining everyone on the floor, you begin warming your body back up, taking in everyone’s flexibility levels while they help each other stretch. If their shouting is any indication, some of the members are definitely less flexible than the others. They’re obviously all very physically fit though. You can just imagine the extensive workout schedules they must have to keep their endurance up for live performances.

Once everyone seems ready, you ask them to gather up and sit in a circle with you so everyone can introduce themselves before you go over the basics of pole dancing. Though you'd never admit it, you were rather nervous to meet everyone. Nothing's more awkward than trying to teach people you don't get along with. 

Thankfully, they are all just as genuine and kind as they seemed online. Their outgoing, friendly natures effortlessly put you at ease. It's kind of interesting to watch the dynamic within the group too. They are all so close, joking around with each other like a family. Even as Leader, JB is more like a big brother - one minute respected, the next teased to death for the littlest thing. Your chest aches at the familiar scene, a small part of you missing your own annoying little brothers.

A lot of the members seem nervous to try this out and you have to wonder again how JB managed to convince everyone to give this a chance. Despite some scattered chatter, you appreciate the way they try to listen closely to you as you begin the lesson. You spend some time explaining the way pole dancing is based around the manipulation of angular momentum, center of mass, friction and static equilibrium, but you start to chuckle when you see more than a few eyes begin to glaze over.

Only Jinyoung and possibly Jackson seem to really be following what you're saying as they nod along, though JB continues to watch you intently. Let's try this a different way. “Listen, what I’m trying to say is that there’s a lot more to this than trying to hold on as you spin. You need to be careful and listen to your body. Pole dancing can lead to pulled muscles if you over tire your muscles or don’t use you them correctly.” You smile and point a mock stern finger at JB. “So you shouldn’t just jump at my poles as soon as you see them. Pole dancing can be a lot of fun, but it isn’t a game.”

He seems flustered as the members tease him again at this, but as you share a smile across the circle, you can tell JB’s really enjoying himself. You're glad you gave this a chance. You can feel your cheeks heating the longer JB smiles at you, but it only fuels your excitement to show off the routine you designed for him. Clapping your hands together enthusiastically, you stand up. “Great, let’s get started then. First things first, you’ll need to take most of your clothes off.”

Jackson gasps in shock and flings his arms across his body dramatically at your pronouncement while Bambam stands up with a shrug and starts to pull off his shirt. When the rest of the boys begin to protest, you roll your eyes and clarify, “I just meant that most of you are wearing too many layers. You’ll need to have some exposed skin to help you control your movements on the pole. That’s the friction I was trying to explain earlier. As you get more comfortable with the moves, you'll be able to control yourself better without relying on the friction as much.”

It’s kind of cute how the boys don’t seem to know where to look as you quickly shed your own navy zip up hoodie and cropped black track pants to reveal your go-to workout gear. Your purple Under Armour shorts cut off at mid thigh while a flower print crossback tank top exposes your mid-drift slightly. The blush on JB's face when you make eye contact again amuses you to no end.

You wiggle your pink toenails as you pull off your flats. “See? I can create friction along my arms, stomach, legs and feet now if I need to.” You feel very confident in this outfit. Its snug fit and built-in sports bra give you the freedom to twist your body in complicated ways without worrying about exposure too, but you decide against mentioning that.

As the boys nod and follow suit, you float around to check that your students also remove their jewelry. Once everyone is down to shorts and tshirts or muscle shirts, you have them wash their hands to get rid of any moisturizers that might affect their grip strength. Finally, you explain the different types of grip they’ll be using during the dance and the importance of having a spotter when trying more complex moves.

Youngjae’s eyes look wide and a little terrified as you invite each of them to step up to a pole. You feel bad for the sweet boy, so you place a comforting hand on his shoulder and look around at the others. “Look, I know it’s a lot to take in. But, you can handle this. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt. We’ll build your skills together, so please put your trust in me, okay?” You can see the resolve on Youngjae's face as the others smile confidently and nod at you. It’s time to get things going.

You put on some warm up music before walking over to JB. “Since there’s not enough poles, mind if we share this one? It’s usually mine anyway.” There’s some scattered chuckling at Leader-nim for stealing your pole, but JB barely reacts. He's too busy bouncing on his toes to care. Everyone seems to relax from all the joking around though, so you finally take them through three super basic pole moves. “I just want you guys to get comfortable gripping and moving around the pole first. So try mixing these moves together and enjoy the music.”

Bambam immediately moves into a fankick after you say this, making you think he must have had the chance to do some pole dancing before. He swings his incredibly long legs around perfectly, laughing at Jackson when he tries to do the same. You turn towards JB, who’s stance betrays his impatience. You wink and step aside with a flourish, saying “Here. She’s all yours.” You smile as JB rushes the pole and grabs on for a mostly successful chair spin. You enjoy watching his eyes light up in childish glee as he revels in the new challenge.

As the song finishes out, you’re happy to see each of the members are gaining confidence in their movements. You’re also relieved to see that they have the muscle control to tackle the moves you designed for them too. Mark, Jackson and JB in particular seem like naturals. You had kind of hoped that this would be the case given their martial arts and Bboy backgrounds. 

Calling the crazy kids back to the centre, you compliment them on their coordination. "That was so much fun!" cheers Yugyeom as he stretches his arms above his head. The others chim in before you interject, "As much as I would love to let you guys enjoy the simpler moves first, our short time together means we will need to focus in on a particular set of more advanced moves instead."

Mark looks excited at the prospect while Youngjae looks the tiniest bit nervous again. You raise both your hands to ward off the questions Jinyoung looks ready to lobby at you. "Look, before you start to worry, I've put a lot of thought into this. We can't put in a dance break and the pace of the singing is too fast for an extensive group pole routine. Plus the choreo is so awesome and pretty iconic in my opinion, so I don't want to take out big chunks for no reason."

You see Jinyoung nodding approvingly at your logic as Yugyeom asks in confusion, "So what **are** we going to be doing then?" You smile and pull up your display board front and center. "I've decided to break up the new moves into key moments during the slow parts of the chorus. I've mapped out who is singing during these parts and where everyone is positioned during the pre-existing choreo." 

Your enthusiasm is palpable as you begin pointing to the diagrams you drew. "Based on who's singing what, I've decided to go with a mix of individual and partner moves as well as a group tableau. Since we don't have a lot of time, this kind of choreography works to our advantage because these moments will pack a lot of punch but everyone will only need to specialize in one move." 

You grin at JB as you admit, "Well, everyone except you, Leader-nim." Your grin widens when JB's eyebrows raise into his hairline as you continue. "Hope you weren't just trying to sound cool when you said you were up for the challenge. You'll be doing a move alone during the first chorus and then we also need you in the group tableau at the end too so you'll be learning two moves." You see JB's adam's apple move up and down slightly as he processes this news, but he fires off a confident, "I can do it.”

Jackson seems unconvinced though and quickly asks, "What about Hyung's back?" as the others nod with worry. Having considered this already after reading your Uncle's notes, you’re quick to reassure them, "The moves I have chosen will put little strain on his back, though he will always wear one of my back braces as a precaution." You smile softly at JB. "You'll be alright, I'll make sure of it." 

He seems comforted by your confidence and nods for you to continue. "Alright, so let's go over the moves." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, dun. 
> 
> Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger guys. I had to split up this chapter and the next one, or else it was just going to be too much explaining at once. I don't personally do pole dancing or know much about it, but I did a lot of research and put tons of thought and planning into the choreo that will be described next chapter. Like, I spent way too much time watching and rewatching the Fly dance practices to figure out who was singing what when and mapping out where everyone was at certain points so that the choreo would actually make sense. I didn't want all of that to get lost in an overly long chapter, hope that makes sense. I would honestly love to see my choreo be performed in real life! haha
> 
> Also, I realize that many of the other members have had injuries in the past. JB's back injury just stood out to me because it was so severe that it made him miss performances for their first concert tour. I didn't actually look into the others' injuries more until I was almost done writing this though, so I decided to just focus on JB since this is his story ;) 
> 
> Now, onto the next chapter where the real dance lesson begins!


	3. Chapter 3

Dancing over to your usual pole with delight, you can feel the members’ eyes trailing after you as you begin to explain, "There will be 3 poles interspersed throughout your formation." You gesture in the air, "Basically in an upside down V. So we'll have to expand your formation a bit. That way you'll have more room to move around the poles, which I want painted black so the audience can't really make them out at first."

You rub your hands together, charged by the adrenaline beginning to pump through your veins. "When the first chorus begins, JB will be in the back row. He'll quickly make his way to the middle pole and do the Air Walk trick, like this." You grin as you lift yourself up on the pole, turning your body in a slow circle from left to right. Using your feet, you mimic seven beats of walking as you complete the circle. You can’t keep the grin off your face. This has always been a favourite move of yours.

When you land back on your feet, there are cheers of amazement as Mark exclaims, "Wow, you really looked like you were walking!" JB's face is flushed with excitement as he comes up to stand beside you. "Do you really think I can do that?" You put a hand on your waist playfully. "I picked the move for you, didn't I?" You laugh as he moves to grab the pole. "Not yet, not yet. Let's go through the rest of the choreo first."

JB reluctantly sits back down, glancing at your display board to try to wrap his mind around the move you just did. "All right," you say, drawing his attention back with the others. "During the second chorus, Jackson and Youngjae…" Here Jackson interrupts you with an excited squeal as he high fives an equally loud Youngjae. "You guys will go up on the two outer poles, Jackson on the right, Youngjae on the left. You'll pull yourselves all the way up with two hands as you spin facing the pole. Make sure to keep your body straight!" 

You quickly demonstrate as you pull your body to the top before coming back down to finish explaining. "Then Jackson will do the Superman pose. You have a lot of strength in your legs so you'll have a better chance of learning this pose. And Youngjae, you'll do the slightly easier Mercury pose."

You fly through these two new poses as the rest of the members watch with intense focus, antsy to learn their part in the choreography now that they are starting to grasp how cool it will be when they incorporate these moves. With a spin, you dismount and walk back to the display board. Now the part you were probably most nervous about. "The last chorus will be the most difficult, as we really need to be tight in our timing to get the most impact out of this tableau. I designed this part based on your music video." 

Everyone looks impressed by how much thought you put into this and you feel yourself swell with pride at JB’s smug expression. It was a relief to see that they were on board with your ideas so far. You might not have wanted to do this originally, but you definitely put your all into it once you signed on. This last piece meant a lot to you. You can still remember how your heart ached watching the music video for the first time. If the guys could pull off this tableau, everyone watching will remember that feeling too. This was going to be awesome!

Pointing to your biggest diagram, you explain, "Because of the end vocals, Youngjae and Jackson will stay on the ground during this part and continue the original choreo. This scene will also use all three poles. JB and Mark will go to the top of the outside poles during Youngjae's first slow  _ 'Fly~'.  _ You'll both do a variation on the Cupid move, reaching off and up to the sides. This move should not affect your shared rap, though Jackson could layer on vocals if we need to.” 

You quickly show them this move before barreling on. "During the first rap line, Bambam and Yugyeom...". Their shouts of "Ayyy!" as they dab and grin at each other pull a laugh from you before you continue, "You guys will go up the outside poles too, aiming for the middle of the pole. You’re going to be doing a combination move similar to a Planche that will make it look like your legs are floating up and away. Kind of like in your Departure album cover."

As you show them this more complex move, you can see the image of the tableau taking shape in their minds. "Finally, during Youngjae's second slow  _ 'Fly~' _ , Jinyoung will climb up the middle pole. It will seem like he’s struggling, but he'll eventually get to the top and reach for everyone. This will need to be an almost ethereal moment with everyone floating. Then we'll see grief flash across his face before he drops suddenly to the ground during Youngjae's third powerful  _ 'Fly~' _ ." 

You snag a quick drink from your water bottle as the guys start chatting about your idea in a rush of energy.  _ So far so good _ . They pause when you take a deep breath and step back up to the pole again. Taking a deep calming breath to tamp down your anticipation, you look out across the group as you grasp the pole. "Now, Jinyoung's fall will really be a controlled drop, so it will be safe with no real recovery period needed. You should be able to join in with your vocals in the last part immediately. Let me show you what I mean."

You can hear Youngjae and JB singing softly under their breath as you climb the pole to the top, completely in character. You can feel the emotion surge through you as you drop on cue, wrapping your arms around your legs as you pull them up to your chest in the fetal position. Your insides do a happy dance at the loud gasps that echo in the room as you stop your descent a few inches from the ground. Telling a story with an emotional impact was always something you loved to do in your choreography.

When you dismount, you tilt your head in confusion at the concerned expressions lingering on a few of the members' faces. Without realizing it, JB had even sprung to his feet at some point. You sense the lingering tension in the air before it finally clicks.  _ Guess that didn’t have the impact I was looking for _ . Putting your hands on your hips in exasperation, you laughingly explain, "I'm okay, guys! I wasn't actually  _ falling _ . I told you, it was a  **controlled** fall. I was gripping the pole tightly with my legs and side. I was controlling my descent the whole way down and Jinyoung will too."

This seems to help as JB slowly sits back down while Jinyoung nods thoughtfully at your explanation. Jinyoung asks a few clarifying questions, leading to one more demonstration of the move before everyone is satisfied that it’s safe. Grabbing a small towel to dab at your neck, you sit back down in front of the oddly quiet group. Now that you’re done explaining, you can feel your nerves creeping up into your throat. What if your best wasn’t good enough? "So do you like the choreography?” You ask, trying to get a read on their thoughts. “I really hope it will keep the fans on the edge of their seats." 

There's a moment of silence before grins break out amid whoops of agreement at this as Jackson adds, "More than a few ahgases will probably have a heart attack during that last part." You breathe a sigh of relief as you watch them talk animatedly amongst themselves for a few moments. They really seemed to like the choreography! 

The humming of happiness floating under your skin brings a spring to your step as you invite JB to follow you to the storage room to get fitted for his back brace before the real work begins. You smile at the sight of the other guys crowding around your display boards and dissecting the moves you had chosen for them. You would never know they were so nervous at the beginning now. This is the feeling you relished as a choreographer. You loved opening people up to the world you love so much. They were gonna kill these new moves!

Flicking on the light to the back room, you barely register JB looking around in interest as you crouch down, intent on digging out the braces you keep stored on the lower shelf. Pushing a few boxes aside with a grunt, you give a cry of triumph when you finally find the right one. When JB sees you dragging the long, awkward box out, he quickly bends down to help you shift it to the floor. 

Busy pulling out a few options, it takes you a moment to realize that the energy around you has gone still. Glancing up, you catch JB watching you. He looks away quickly with a cough, his expression giving away nothing. You raise a questioning eyebrow, but the words die on your lips when you notice the colour sneaking across his cheeks. Why do you keep catching him staring at you? 

Eyes wide and heart stumbling, you continue searching through the box self-consciously. What was it about being alone with JB that made your body temperature rise and your pulse start skipping? It had been easier to ignore the attraction that had sparked during your first meeting when you were both with the rest of the group. Now you couldn’t stop the awareness seeping through you. Biting your lip, you hold back a relieved sigh when your fingers finally close around the right brace. 

You’re proud that your voice sounds steady when you break the gentle quiet of the room. “This should be your size.” You shift and turn towards JB, holding the brace up for him to take. You get the feeling he had been watching you again, but you try to brush it off. “Have you worn one before?” He nods, but answers with some confusion as he inspects the brace, “Yeah, but the straps seem different on this one.” Taking the brace back, you shift awkwardly as you explain, “The design is slightly different from regular ones to allow for easier movement on the pole. Here, I’ll show you how to wear it.”

If JB minds you invading his space, he doesn’t say. Almost on autopilot, you ask him to lift up his shirt since the brace is meant to be worn under clothes. A rushing sound fills your ears as you try to put on the brace as quickly as possible. Now it’s your turn to not know where to look. You can feel JB staring at you again, though you don’t dare look up. Convinced your cheeks are on fire, you whisper a soft, “All done,” as you back up. You can still feel the heat of JB’s taunt skin on your fingertips as you watch him test the support of the brace. 

You're grateful when some high energy shouting from the main room breaks the tension. Turning away as JB pulls down his shirt, you put the boxes back on the shelf, scolding yourself the entire time. You’ve taught plenty of males over the last couple years and have never had this reaction to someone - to a  **client** ! - before. Straightening the boxes one last time, you give yourself a mental kick to the head. You’re a professional,  **be** professional. 

JB follows you silently out of the room, stretching and adjusting the constraints of the brace as you shut the lights back off. Before you can avoid further embarrassing eye contact and rejoin the group, you feel him grab your wrist. "Listen," he begins awkwardly as you turn to give JB your full attention. "Thank you. Seriously. For giving us a chance and for the insane choreography.” His grin was so arresting, it wasn’t fair. Thankfully, JB continues before you have to flounder for a response. “I can tell you put a lot of thought into this. It means a lot." He smiles softly as he adds, "You keep surprising me."

For a beat, you feel your body pulse in response to that dangerously sexy smile. You look away to disguise the way your chest tingles at his praise. When you feel JB moving even closer to you, you reflexively reach for humour to lighten the mood. Slapping a hand on his arm, you playfully fire off a quick, "Get used to it," before turning back to the others with a clap. "Okay, guys. Let's get started learning those moves!" 

The sound of JB’s amused chuckle stays with you the rest of the practice and haunts you when you finally lie in bed later that night, exhausted but pleased from a productive first practice.  _ Why does everything about him have to be sexy?  _ You groan into your pillow in frustration.

This was going to be a long eight weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who is curious about the pole moves the boys will be doing, here are some links so you can visualize them better. I drew a stick figure sketch for you guys to help explain the tableau, but alas, I can't seem to upload it on here for some reason. Oh well! Hopefully it makes sense to you guys! :)
> 
> 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmoG0566h_4  
JB's Airwalk 
> 
> 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCRP-5om_3Y  
Jinyoung’s Controlled Drop (starts at 0:54 seconds)
> 
> 3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAU_8piiDVE   
Bambam’s Fankick from last chapter (0:57)  
Jackson (0:19) & Youngjae (1:59) Solo Poses  
JB & Mark’s Tableau Pose (0:25)
> 
> 4) https://www.onlinepolestudio.com/moves/pole/extreme/planche/  
Yugyeom & Bambam’s Tableau Pose (with a straighter back and the legs floating up)


	4. Chapter 4

“We’re gonna _ hmmm~, hmmm~, hmmm~ _...’

Biting back a laugh as a passing elderly couple glares at you reproachfully, you resume your off key humming with a carefree shrug, swinging your shopping bags happily as you glide down the street. Nothing could ruin the positive energy coursing through you today! After so much struggle, life was finally looking up. Your classes were at max capacity, the first installment of your contract fee had covered the next two months’ rent and then some, and the practices with GOT7 were starting to yield some serious results. 

You could see so much discipline and potential in each of the members. Honestly, you’ve **loved** collaborating with them so far. You’re so proud of the steady progress they’ve been making, especially after they’ve proven to you that they are taking everything seriously. It was a happy surprise to see that they were actually doing the flexibility exercises you recommended too. That little bit of homework would go a long way in improving their control over the choreography in the little time you had together. They might actually be able to pull this off in time for the showcase. 

Even your plan to be professional around JB was going well. _ During practices anyway_. You wince at the amendment, embarrassed by the fantasies you had indulged in last night in the shower. Clearing your throat awkwardly to banish the memory of the needy heat that had built within you, you renew your promise to keep a safe distance in real life. You didn’t want to complicate your working relationship with him when you were getting so much satisfaction and fulfillment from choreographing for GOT7 in the first place. 

The emotional high of a job well done had led you to some healthy splurging this morning on what your Uncle has often called your greatest weakness. Wiggling your toes with a giggle, you admire your new pedicure as you wait for the crosswalk signal. This new light sea green nail polish was really a beautiful shade. Your initial goal of decompressing and relaxing _ naturally _lent itself to a little shopping too. Or at least that’s what you tell yourself as you switch your two pink polka dot shopping bags to dangle in the crook of your elbow before crossing the street. Even as you picture your Uncle’s amused expression, you refuse to feel guilty. You were due a little fun.

The afterglow of your shopping spree begins to fade slightly as the faint sound of a camera shutter reaches your ears above the familiar noises of your neighbourhood. _Click. Click._ Unease makes your chest tense as you try to subtly locate the source of the sound. With dread, you take in the tall man trailing behind you about a block away. Dressed all in black with white jagged letters on his sweater, there isn’t anything remarkable about him. But, with a mask and a bucket hat obscuring his face, it’s hard to tell where he’s pointing his camera. Exhaling a shaky breath, you try to brush it off as a coincidence and continue on.

Several blocks later, your fists clench and unclench as your stomach rolls and sweat gathers at the base of your spine. _Click. Click. Click. _The sound of the shutter is relentless behind you as the man continues to follow you. The skittering of your pulse makes you want to flee as fast as you can, but you reject this instinct immediately. _ Screw. This. Guy. _ He will not make you feel afraid. You **won’t** give him the satisfaction.

Amped up, you spin around rapidly, intent on giving this wanna be photographer a piece of your mind. Your brain doesn’t even get the chance to compute the sound of sneakers slapping harshly on the sidewalk before you feel the force of a body slamming into you. Clutching the soft, thick sweater in front of you, you clamp your eyes shut against the sensation of falling as a loud crash breaks the sudden bubble of silence. You hit the ground with a grunt as your breath rushes out of you momentarily. 

With your world no longer tilting, you slowly open your eyes to find startled, wide eyes looking back at you in concern. It only takes a moment before you recognize the slant of the eyes, the two signature moles above the left eye a dead give away.

“Jaebum?”

You whisper his name, forgetting honorifics in your confusion, as he rips off his face mask. He’s flushed and panting slightly as the adrenaline dissipates.

“Are you okay?” 

You nod slightly to alleviate his concern, distracted by his closeness. His fingers flex gently around your head where they had protected you from the unforgiving cement. The weight of his body on yours is strangely comforting and exhilarating. He is so close you could count his eyelashes if you wanted to. You smile as you take in JB’s bucket hat again. He is such a dork. How does he manage to make even that hat look good?

His relieved expression gives way to embarrassment as JB carefully shifts off of you to help you sit up. Your fingers belatedly release JB’s hoodie as you take stock of the aches along your body. Thankfully, you’re not banged up too bad. JB’s loud sigh brings your attention back to the camera in his hands. You feel bad at the crack you can see on the lens, but the sight of it makes you annoyed again.

“What was that all about? Why were you taking pictures of me?”

So many emotions flit across JB’s face at your angry tone. You glare at him suspiciously when he doesn’t immediately answer. Holding your hand out to demand the memory card, he finally speaks up with a surprising amount of embarrassment. “I didn’t even realize it was you ahead of me until right at the end. I wasn’t taking pictures of you. I was taking pictures of… a cat.”

Silence. “A… cat?” You stare at him dumbly as he nods and finally extends his camera towards you. You look through numerous photos of a beautiful black and white tabby cat with growing amusement as he explains, “I had some free time before our practice this evening. I was just walking around hoping to take some pictures. I always use pictures to help me create stories when I’m writing a new song.”

He rubs the back of his head here and squirms slightly under your bemused gaze, “Anyway...I saw this little guy awhile back. I was following him because I was worried about him being up so high.” You look again through the pictures and see with some concern that the cat _ was _ often up on high ledges. You smile again at JB’s cuteness as he continues with concern for the cat, “I thought he might be a stray and I wanted to make sure he was okay. Then he gave me a heart attack and jumped up to that balcony.”

You lean back to look up where JB was pointing. Holy hell, that cat got up to a fourth floor balcony? JB nods at your incredulous look. “Yeah, it was insane. I think he lives there though, cause he made it look like nothing. I was glad he made it safe, but then he knocked off that flower pot. That’s when I saw you and just reacted on instinct.” 

As JB runs a shaky hand across his mouth, you think back on that crashing sound you heard. For the first time, you look passed JB and notice a pile of shards, soil and yellow petals where you were standing moments before. You feel sick thinking about what could have happened. JB’s hand distracts you from your thoughts though as he carefully cups your cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He asks with concern, his eyes searching your face. “You look really pale.” 

Your heart thumps painfully at his intense scrutiny. Pulling his hand from your warming cheeks, you clutch it in your lap as you shake your head. “I’m okay, really.” You hold his gaze, smiling sincerely as you whisper, “Thank you. Your quick thinking saved me from a lot of trouble.” 

A proud grin stretches across JB’s face, his adorable little eye smiles pulling at your heartstrings again. A car honking as it zooms passed reminds you that you’re both still sitting on the pavement though. Brushing off your skinny jeans and baby blue cardigan, you move to stand up and bonk heads with JB as he tries to do the same. 

The laugh that bursts out of you is uncontrollable and JB is quick to join in. What an afternoon! “Listen,” you begin when the mirth dies down, “there’s still some time before our practice. Let me pay to have your camera fixed. I know a repair shop a few blocks from here that should be able to do it. They have a really good reputation. It’s the least I can do.”

JB smiles and shakes his head as he loops the camera strap back around his neck. “That’s alright, it’s an old camera anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

You frown, determined to show your gratitude. “Well, how about I treat you to a meal?” 

JB stoops to grab your two forgotten shopping bags and hands them to you with a thoughtful expression. He shakes his head again at your offer, frustrating you as he says, “You don’t need to do that.” He pauses as you shift the bags onto your shoulder impatiently. “But, well… if it’s not too much trouble, there is actually something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about. Why don’t you let me walk you back so I can run an idea by you?”

Curious more than anything, you gesture for him to follow you. He easily keeps pace with you as you close the last couple of blocks to the dance studio. You glance up at JB’s nervous posture, waiting for him to continue. But, it’s not until the front doors of the studio are in view that he finally opens up, his hands bunching in the front pocket of his hoodie uncertainly. 

You’re surprised when JB finally says, “It’s just… Well, I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to master the choreography in time.” JB fiddles with the chain dangling from his left ear as he continues, “I don’t want to hold everyone back, especially because this was my idea in the first place.” You tilt your head, trying to figure out where this anxiety is coming from. In your opinion, JB has been working exceptionally hard to learn the new moves in the short practices you’ve been given. 

Rubbing JB’s upper arm in a gesture of comfort, you watch as his eyes search yours furtively. You can feel the warmth of JB’s skin even through his sweater. The corners of your lips tug up as you try to soothe his worries. “I think you’re doing an awesome job! You are all so dedicated and I’ve noticed a lot of growth in you especially since we first started. There’s still 5 weeks left. What’s got you so worried?”

There’s a moment of JB shifting on his feet before he stares at the ground, suddenly vulnerable as he whispers, “I don’t want to hurt my back again. I feel like I’m rushing to keep up and I’d really like some more time to learn the moves thoroughly. Plus, with me learning two moves, I’m taking away even more practice time from the others when they need to spot me. I don’t want them to get injured because we rushed learning the choreography.”

You nod at this. It was a necessary evil to cut up the practice time like this. It’s not like you could let them learn the different stages of movement without at least one spotter there to protect them. JB brings his eyes back up to yours, the nerves from earlier returning as he finally gets to the point, “I’ve been wondering if we could arrange to have extra practices, just you and me.”

Your eyebrows rise slightly in surprise, though the suggestion does make sense to you. Only… “I want to, but I don’t think we can because of the contract terms...” JB’s eyes flicker with hope as he reaches out to stop your hand from retreating from his arm. He holds it there as he excitedly asks, “You would? I didn’t want to ask because I know you’re so busy.”

You chuckle at this. “So are you. Having this afternoon off must be a rarity.”

He nods, but still looks determined. “I would still like to give it a try. The contract only states that the company won’t schedule in any more practices with you. But, if I use my free time to come, it doesn’t count.” JB grins, sensing that the idea is growing on you. “I could come in the evenings if that works for you. We could exchange numbers and figure out days that work and I’ll pay you every week. Even if we could steal an hour or something here and there, I think the extra one-on-one practice will really help me.”

You think over your class schedules. There was certainly a free hour or two where you could squeeze in practices and your evenings were always wide open. _ The benefits of being perpetually single_. You almost laugh at the thought. “I’m game! Let’s make this work. But, I don’t want to be paid extra for this.”

JB releases your hand and begins to argue this, but you hold your now cold hands up to stop him. “I’m serious. I know you don’t want anything, but I owe you for before. It would make me feel better to return the favour this way.” With a wink, you add, “Plus, I’ll be much happier watching you perform my routine knowing you’re fully prepared for it.”

When JB finally gives in to your stipulations, you exchange phone numbers and go your separate ways. There’s still two hours until your practice with GOT7 and you have a class to teach right before them. Tucking away your newest purchases, you laugh at the way you saved JB’s number in your phone. ‘Cat Stalker’. Good thing he was cute.

Thinking back on this afternoon, you realize this is the second time you have misjudged him. Sure, you didn’t know it was him at first when you saw the camera, but you were ready to kick his ass before he tackled you. You definitely weren’t expecting him to be so concerned about mastering the choreography and protecting the others. But, it makes sense. JB’s always been passionate about what he does and he really cares for the others. _ Guess that’s why he’s the leader. _

Grabbing a quick bite to eat before class, you nearly choke on your food as you realize you just agreed to spend a lot of time **alone** with JB. God, if he wasn’t already enough of a temptation. Even with all of the other members around, your eyes always ended up finding JB’s. His alluring smile had already made your pulse accelerate many times during practices. How much worse would it be during a private practice?

Oh boy, you might be in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not that anyone probably cares, but JB was wearing his DefSoul sweater in this chapter :P Just thought that was a nice little easter egg for anyone who figured it out :)


	5. Chapter 5

_ ‘I’m free right now. Can I come over?’ _

Popping a muscle in your spine as you stretch, you groan slightly as you chuck your phone back on the table. Having just finished your last class of the day, you were feeling pretty exhausted. Wednesdays were always your busiest day. And yet… you  _ really  _ wanted to see JB. Just the idea of spending time with him re-energizes and you try your best to squash the grin blooming on your face.

_ ‘Fine. But, bring food or I’m locking you out!’ _

You grimace as your stomach rumbles. Hopefully he’ll bring those yummy instant ramyeon packs that were a special limited time only flavour again. Not that you were actually gonna make good on your threat and go to bed early. You didn’t need to check the calendar to know that these practices would be coming to an end soon. A part of you was dreading the fact that the showcase was right around the corner.

It’s been a month since you agreed to squeeze in individual practices with JB. To say you’ve grown closer would be an understatement. With JB over every chance he could get and texting you all the time for training advice, you had gotten to know each other pretty well. He had even convinced you to drop honorifics and talk to each other casually. You actually enjoyed hearing him call you by name, though you’d never admit it.

Thinking back on the last 4 weeks, you have to laugh. You don’t think you’ve ever argued with a client so much before. Or anyone really. JB had a great work ethic, but his personality was all over the place. He could be collaborative and stubborn, serious and childish, focused and frenetic. While clashes were inevitable with your own tenaciousness, you both got on surprisingly well. Your working relationship had naturally evolved into a sort of undefined friendship now that you were spending more time together.  _ Well, more like a crush _ . 

You sigh at your own ridiculousness. Your attraction to JB was getting worse each week. It was the duality of JB’s nature that drew you in really. You could never really pin down what he was thinking or how he would act next. It was surprising and intriguing and… you were a fool for even hoping, wishing for more time with him. After this contract was over, you were going to part ways after all. Even if you stayed friends, it’s not like you would see each other all the time anymore. 

The sound of knocking jolts you. Shaking off your melancholy thoughts, you quickly glance at the clock before opening the door to a grinning JB. His side swept hair is tousled from the wind, but he doesn’t seem cold in his gym shorts, tank top and red and white pullover hoodie. 

“Wow, that was fast,” you say, quirking an eyebrow. JB shrugs casually, answering, “I was already in the neighbourhood. Just had to pick these up first.” He laughs as you snag the convenience store bag from his hand with a cheer of, “My hero!” when you spot the ramyeon bowl you were craving. You dash to turn on the electric kettle. “You’re welcome,” he shouts at your retreating figure as he steps into the studio.

Sticking your tongue out at him as you come back to unwrap the packaging, you huff, “No,  **you’re** welcome. Do you realize how late it is? Wednesdays are always the worst.” His smile falters a bit as you snag a vitamin water from the bag, his eyes trailing over your exposed skin for the first time. You shiver under his quiet scrutiny. “I had to switch my classes around this afternoon. I just finished up my artistic expression class,” you offer as an unnecessary explanation. 

Your favourite outfit left little to the imagination, especially since it completely exposed your midriff and most of your back, but you loved it for its floaty lines and the ease of movement it provided for your more complex artistry. You glance down to double check the sweetheart neckline of the strappy bodice and tug at the ruby tulle of the skirt that flares out slightly over your tiny shorts. “Sorry, should I change? I know this isn’t my usual workout gear. You just came quicker than I thought you would.” 

Just as he’s about to reply, the kettle begins to whistle angrily for your attention. He shoos you away, saying, “No, it’s fine. You better get that,” even as you’re already running over to shut the kettle off. Peaking a glimpse in the studio mirrors, you see JB’s eyes following you for a moment longer, the heat of his gaze exciting a spark in your stomach. When he turns away, crossing an arm over his bent knees and hiding his eyes from your view, you notice a tinge of red creeping up the back of his neck.

Your cheeks feel flushed as you finish preparing the food. Things were always like this lately, you reflect. It was weird being alone together for training at first, but, as the awkwardness faded, a new tension began to permeate these practices. Even now, you could feel it hanging over the two of you as you joke light-heartedly over your noodles. It made you uneasy and tense, excited and shy. You couldn’t stop being aware of JB all the time. Even without looking, you could feel how close he was to you right now. It was driving you crazy. 

On the other hand, despite some hints that the tension wasn’t all one sided, JB always treated you with kindness and kept a respectful distance. His behaviour at least made it easier to ignore the craving to push boundaries. Shoveling down the last of your food, you stretch with a contented sigh. “Alright,” you say, clearing away the garbage so you can get your body temperature back under control, “Let’s start stretching and warming up. I need to work off that late night snack.”

Falling into your usual routine helps calm your nerves slightly, the deep breathing relaxing you completely. You only decide to call for a break some time later because you realize you’ve been watching a bead of sweat travel down JB’s bicep instead of critiquing his posture. There was just something undeniably sexy about the way he moved, especially when he was dancing. It irked you a bit that he was so at home in his body that his goal  **was** to be sexy. He’d told you so many times himself, though his cuteness was equally as undeniable.

Without meaning to, you find yourself voicing this irritation as you sit down, ripping into a bag of chips with a disgruntled, “How can you do that all the time?” JB quirks an eyebrow at you in confusion as he chugs down some water and sits on the stool across from you. “Do what?” You crunch on a chip as you complain, “Be sexy all the time!” 

You’re surprisingly unembarrassed when JB chokes on his water before staring at you incredulously. “Wha.. What do you mean?” Your exasperation makes your next words spill out quickly. “I constantly have to fight to be taken seriously with my dancing because all people can see is how sexy it is. Don’t you worry that people won’t take your music seriously?” You clamp your mouth shut at JB’s bemused expression. You’ve been wondering this for awhile, but surely there was a better way to ask? Whoops.

JB snags a chip from your bag, chewing it thoughtfully as he thinks of how to answer. You squirm in your seat as he stares you down. His voice is a little husky as he asks, “You think I’m sexy?” You hesitate, before nodding carefully. He smirks at your answer, obviously pleased at your belated embarrassment. You’re thankful when he breaks the awkwardness by grabbing another chip. Before you can think of something to say to erase this conversation, JB surprises you by answering, “Honestly, I am who I am and I don’t think my confidence should say anything negative about my music. Besides, people will decide on their own whether they like my music, regardless of how I look.” 

You nod, savouring the flavour of your wish chip momentarily before clarifying, “I can see that. But, with what I do, all people judge me on is how I look. It’s either all they see or all they tend to remember after I dance.” You hold the bag out to JB so he can finish the last couple chips. He grins and agrees, “I can see that. You  **are** sexy when you dance.”

As your heart begins to pound with nerves, you just manage to catch JB’s next words as he coughs awkwardly, “Well, I mean… You’re sexy when you dance, but it’s not sexual. It could be, but not the way you do it. Ahh..” JB rubs the back of his neck awkwardly here as you cross your arms against your exposed stomach protectively. “I don’t want to be seen as sexy. I want to be seen as an artist,” you say quietly. His eyebrows scrunch in confusion as he tries to understand the emotions pulsing just under your skin. “Why can’t you be both?”

And there it was. The dreaded question. Why did you say anything? A discussion of sexiness could only lead here after all… Your throat jumps uncomfortably as old wounds remind you not to be too trusting. You brush off your hands and stand, trying for nonchalance as you cheerfully say, “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get back to practice.”

JB follows you over to the pole, but instead of continuing like you’d hoped, he puts a comforting hand around your waist. You lean back on the pole for some space, looking down and to the side so his penetrating eyes won’t see too much. “Hey,” he whispers gently, moving closer slightly as he rubs his thumb on your hip, “What’s wrong?” 

You really should push him back, but it feels good to be so close to JB like this. He continues to watch you, his caring eyes chipping away at your resolve. You couldn’t quite pinpoint when it happened, but you knew you were starting to want to believe in him, even against your better judgement. What was it about this man that broke down your defenses?

Sighing in defeat, you break the silence with a casual, “Did I ever tell you I was going to be a lawyer?” The shock and surprise that flies across JB’s face is comical and eases the pit of anxiety in your stomach. Relaxing slightly, you explain further. “My parents are actually lawyers, pretty successful ones too. My mother is in Criminal Law and my father is in Family Law. Ever since I was young, I knew I would be a lawyer too. Had to be. I was hoping to convince my parents to let me do Civil Rights Law, but they had their hearts set on me majoring in Business Law. Then we would sort of cover all of the major bases at the family firm.”

You chuckle bitterly and grasp the pole behind you to steady yourself. “I don’t think they would have put so much pressure on me if they’d known where it would lead me to. I started having panic attacks in the middle of finals during my first year at university because of them. So, my roommate talked me into starting dance classes with her as a way to relax.”

You smile here, picturing her face beaming with happiness when you finally said yes. It was really too bad you hadn’t kept in touch. “I honestly don’t think I would have showed up if she had told me it was a pole dancing class beforehand. But, after the first class, I was hooked!” You search JB’s eyes finally, pleased to see that he understood. Of course he would. “I’ve never felt so free as the first time I spun around that pole. Even my advanced yoga classes weren’t nearly as fulfilling. I continued to take the classes all summer and into the next school year. It was something private and special for me, something I only shared with my Uncle. He always knew my secrets. Besides, I knew my parents’ wouldn’t understand if I told them.”

Sensing what was coming, JB moves closer to you, his breath fluttering your bangs as you hurry to finish. “My dance school participated in an amateur showcase over Christmas break and that was it for me. The thrill of competing. The challenge of choreographing. The joy of dancing. I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Your voice breaks slightly, betraying the emotions swirling under your calm demeanor. JB’s warm hand ghosts along the top of your head, comforting you with each reassuring stroke. “Well, I wasn’t foolish enough to think my parents’ would be happy about my decision, but when I finally told them, it was an ugly mess. They called me a slut and a whore, all the worst names you can think of. They didn’t even try to understand what dancing meant to me. Their attempts to change my mind only made things worse…”. You close your eyes against the images floating in. “It was a shit show really. My whole family is estranged from me now. My parents like to pretend I don't exist. The only one who stuck by me was my Uncle. He understood better than anyone else how I was feeling.” 

Shrugging uncomfortably, you look at JB again as you admit, “In their eyes, how could pole dancing be seen as anything other than provocative, sexualized dancing? It didn’t matter that I found it empowering and fascinating and cathartic. They said I would never be taken seriously as a storyteller. And they were right, for awhile anyway. It took a long time to gain the recognition I have now. That’s why I hate it when people only see what I do as something with sex appeal. There’s more to it than that, you know?”

You clamp your mouth shut again, embarrassed by your rambling and the chuckle seeping up through JB’s chest. “No wonder you turned me down so quickly,” JB says with a good humoured laugh. “I think I understand a little better now. But, I think you need to cut yourself some slack a little too.” 

He grins devilishly at you as he releases you. You watch in confusion as JB crosses to turn your Ipod on. As funk music fills the speakers, he walks back over to join you. His grin is electric as he says, “Come on. Come dance with me for a little bit. Don’t worry about what others think so much. Move how  **you** want to and just enjoy yourself for once.”

JB quickly grabs your hand before you can hesitate and pulls you forward to dance. Soon you’re clutching your aching sides from laughing too much as JB moves around the room sporadically. “Why do you dance like a grandpa?!” you wheeze, gasping for breath. You giggle as JB lifts you up and spins you around the room in retaliation. You stretch your arms, leaning your head back as far as you can. You trust in the strength of his arms around you. He won’t drop you. 

Your blood is singing when JB puts you back down to catch his breath, so you take a running leap at the closest pole. You laugh as the momentum makes you fly fast and high, spinning in concentric circles that rapidly take you to the top of the pole. Feeling giddy, you quickly drop down the pole, wrapping your legs around JB’s waist when he steps up to the pole to catch you before you reach the bottom. 

Suspended momentarily, you look down into JB’s flushed face as you try to catch your breath. His eyes are shining with excitement and a thrill passes over you as his hands slide up your legs to hold you in place better. Fueled by a now familiar ache, you throw caution to the wind and close the distance between you and JB.  His slightly parted lips unexpectedly rise to meet yours with equal fervour. 

Consumed by the need pulsing through you, you shift and swing yourself off the pole and onto JB so you can be closer to him. His feet falter for a moment from the momentum of your body coming to rest more fully against his, but he quickly recovers and pins you against the pole. The coolness of the metal against your back only excites you more as JB’s warm hands wander from where they were supporting your legs, caressing and teasing as his mouth dominates yours. 

You whimper when he grinds against you unexpectedly, his body rolling sinfully. This was  _ crazy _ , what was happening? JB seems to think so too, because he sets you down suddenly and steps back. Eyes glazed and panting, his need is painfully obvious. It fuels you forward. With the slightest pressure of your hands, JB backs up and sits down on the stack of nearby warm up mats before you capture his lips again. His throaty groan when you climb onto his lap and push him to lie down makes you feel hot all over as he hands pull your hips flush against his.

“Jaebum…”

You moan his name unconsciously at the feeling of him trapped below you. The layers of your clothes do little to block the sensation as your hips begin to move on their own, chasing some much needed relief from the tension building inside you. JB breaks away from your heady kisses, moving you both to sit back up as he kisses and nips at the exposed skin on your chest and neck. Your hands fist in his thick black hair, pulling slightly as you moan from the teasing of his mouth along the edge of your bodice.

Your head rolls back as another moan rips through you when JB’s thumb grazes you through your shirt. The way JB keeps whispering your name is driving you insane. You need more. You want more. It’s only the sudden pressure of JB’s hands on yours that stop you before you can pull your shirt off. His eyes are wide as he regains enough sense to tell you, “Wait, wait!”. 

It’s hard to focus when the both of you are panting and so,  _ so  _ close, but you try to concentrate on JB’s words. “This is all wrong.” Your eyebrows scrunch in confusion, hurt by the implication of JB’s words. His eyes flash with panic when you move to get off him and he grasps you by the waist to keep you in place. You blush as you continue to straddle him, wondering why he wants to stop when he was obviously enjoying it too.

JB runs his free hand through his bangs, making them stick up in different directions, before he continues with some vexation, “What I mean is, this isn’t what I wanted.. Well, I mean I do want it. Just not yet. This isn’t what I planned… I’m not looking for a hookup”. 

You reach up and smooth his hair back down, unsure of this new rocky terrain you find yourselves in. You don’t want to hurt his feelings. “Well, I’m not looking for a boyfriend either.”

It’s a relief when JB nods in understanding, but your heart is taken a little off-guard when he tilts his head to look up at you, asking, “What about a date?” with the cutest little smirk. A chuckle escapes you, cracking his cavalier attitude slightly as he blushes. 

Before you can answer, JB rambles on slightly. “I’ve honestly just been waiting until the end of the showcase to ask you out. When I first saw your dance practice video, I knew I had to meet you. I really **was** blown away by your dancing and I was so excited to work with you. But when I did finally meet you, I…”. You watch in fascination as his adam’s apple jumps up and down, the tightening of his arm around your waist surprisingly protective. His brown eyes seem to darken as he wrestles with his feelings for you. 

Your heart begins to pound as he confides in you with some frustration, “It’s been hard trying to stay professional around you. I don’t know why I let my guard down tonight after working so hard to become friends these last few weeks. I don’t want to rush into things, I want to do this right.”

You quickly shake your head at this pronouncement as your pulse accelerates even more. “Seriously, I’m not relationship material. Don’t waste your time on me.”

JB’s expression turns soft and concerned as you start to shake with repressed anxiety. You close your eyes as he cups your cheek, reminding yourself to breathe. You feel like crying when he quietly fires back, “Don’t say that. I love every minute we spend together. Being with you is not a waste of time.”

God, you didn’t want to go down this road again. You swore you wouldn’t and yet here you are. In the stillness of the night, a small part of you had imagined a future like JB painted. Walking hand-in-hand down the street. Picking out his clothes. Sharing in each other’s lives. Trusting each other wholeheartedly. Maybe adopting a cat together? You were content with the fantasy, knowing it was impossible in real life had been a relief. 

Sliding your eyes open, you feel the panic recede slightly at JB’s patient expression. The tenderness in his eyes as he waits for your real answer comforts you enough to whisper uncertainly, “I can’t promise you anything.” 

JB nods, releasing you and helping you to stand up. “Let’s just start with a date and see where things go,” he suggests calmly. “No expectations, no promises.” 

You smile shyly and nod, flattening your skirt down awkwardly when JB stands to straighten his own clothes. Even after such an emotionally charged discussion, you could still feel the remnants of the flame that had sparked between the two of you earlier. You decide to call it a night and end practice early, mindful that JB was probably equally as uncomfortable and unsatisfied as you are. No one was flipping around on poles any more tonight.

Time for a long, cold shower - for the both of you.

And then, perhaps, a date.


	6. Chapter 6

… 

Why did you ever agree to this??

Sighing for what feels like the millionth time, you strip off another outfit and throw it on the growing pile littering your bed. Nothing seems to fit right today and your skin is crawling with nervous jitters. Finding an outfit in time for your date was starting to seem impossible. 

A date. Who thought this would be a good idea?? You hadn’t been on a real date in years. The occasional casual hookup was so much easier and less complicated. But, here you were. About to go on a date with JB. 

You bite your lip, smiling despite your anxiety. JB had teased you relentlessly last night, kissing you just enough to want to beg for more until you agreed to go on this date today. You knew he was up to no good when he let the other members go home ahead of him after practice last night. It didn’t take you long to cave and his control had slipped after you said yes. Even now you could feel the soft pressure of JB's lips across your skin. Your heart starts racing again just thinking about it. 

Shaking your head and patting your blushing cheeks, you try to refocus. In a whirlwind of fabrics, you finally settle on a thin plum cold-shoulder sweater. The pearl grey crochet details along the sleeve surprisingly match the suede peekaboo boots you manage to dig out of your closet too. Finally, after much debate, you pray that the weather stays passable and pull on your favourite distressed jean skirt. 

Tucking in the front of your sweater, you take a quick second to slip on a delicate tassel chain drop necklace and your matching green earrings. Snagging your black leather purse, you decide to pull on the backpack straps today to free up your hands. The nerves are starting to eat at your stomach, so you only spare one last glance to double check the gentle waves of your hair and the braided headband you had attempted before you force your feet to leave your apartment.

Descending the stairs carefully, you pause at the front doors to the studio. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest, not with anxiety for once, but with innocent anticipation. The feeling is novel to you, one you had forgotten. If you’re honest with yourself for once, you actually **are** looking forward to going on this date. You never thought you would want to try this sort of thing again, the tiptoeing start of a relationship, and yet here you are. Because of JB. 

The urge to see him comes on suddenly and fiercely. Forcing a deep, calming breath, you stir yourself back into action and step outside to lock up... only to be caught off-guard by the silhouette already waiting for you. 

Shit. Just the flash of red hair is enough to annoy you before he even opens his mouth.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

You grit your teeth and turn to lock the doors, just resisting the urge to sigh angrily. You thought you got rid of this guy earlier. Why is he out here waiting for you right now? 

“Man, you are looking sexy as fuck. You didn’t have to dress up for me, babe.”

Feigning a polite smile to mask your growing frustration and unease, you shrug and simply reply, “I didn’t.” You turn back around in time to see his cocky grin slip a little before it’s quickly back in place. Glancing around him, you ask, “Where’s your sister? I thought you two left together an hour ago when class ended?”

He nods and leans closer against the nearby brick wall in a mistaken attempt to be sexy. “Yeah, I brought her home, but she mentioned that you had the afternoon free. So, here I am. Why don’t we finally go on that date?” His face is uncomfortably close, the slight smell of whiskey wafting off his breath. 

Geeze, this guy was a trainwreck sometimes. You push him slightly so he is standing straight again, wrinkling your nose as you say in disgust, “Have you been drinking already? It’s only 2 in the afternoon.” He laughs at your reaction, unconcerned. “Just getting the party started,” he says with a playful wink, pulling out a pocket flask and offering it to you. “Wanna join the fun and spend the day together?”

“I…”

“She’s busy.”

You start slightly at the cool voice that interrupts you. Relief and happiness surge through you. You’d know that voice anywhere. Following the sound over your shoulder, you take in JB as he comes to stand beside you. The contrast of his black and white clothes is striking on him, his intense stare easily intimidating your unwanted guest into an uncomfortable silence.

JB’s eyes soften instantly when they swing down to look at you. “Sorry I’m late.” His voice caresses your skin like velvet, trailing goosebumps in its wake. “That’s alright,” you whisper, suddenly shy when JB puts an arm around your waist and leads you off down the street. You hear some indignant sputtering behind you that is silenced quickly when JB glances back momentarily. 

There’s something undeniably attractive about the way JB holds you even closer, protective of you as you walk a block further down the street together. Thoughts of unwanted visitors fade in the warmth of his shield. His eyes find yours again before roaming down to take you in properly. You feel his hands slide up your side possessively as he leans to whisper in your ear, “You look incredible. I’m not surprised I have to fight off other guys already.”

Battling a blush, you try to banish the lingering feeling of his breath on your neck as you banter back, “You don’t look too bad yourself.” You chuckle at the way his chest seems to puff up with pride despite your backhanded compliment. JB always looks good, but the way his bangs are styled up and to the side today really does something to your insides. 

Even in a casual black crew neck sweater, he is effortlessly sexy. You’re curious about the white palm tree stitched over JB’s heart and the unique white diagonal stripes on the knees of his black jeans. He obviously has his own unique sense of style. His chain necklace, black hoop earrings, white studded belt and kicks all scream bad boy too. 

A few blocks away from the studio now, you finally clue in that you don’t seem to be heading towards a car like you originally assumed. “Where are you taking me?” you ask playfully, melting a bit at the shy expression that halts JB’s steps momentarily. His hand releases you finally as he rubs the back of his neck and admits, “Well, I thought we could try mini putting together? Ah, unless you’d rather do something else?”

Summoning a little bravery of your own, you thread your hand through JB’s and pull him forward once more. “Mini putt sounds great. I have to warn you, I’m a little competitive though!” You wink at JB who laughs and concedes, “I know. I figured I might at least have a chance to beat you at mini putt.” The boys had gleefully poked fun at JB many times during practices for his lack of skill when it comes to sports, so you’re interested to see how he does today.

The next couple of blocks are filled with a comfortable silence as you enjoy the feeling of holding each other’s hand. It is a strangely intimate gesture. You’re hyper aware of his skin against yours, the heat of his palm, the occasional glance from bypassers. There’s a light and joyful feeling bursting in sparks in your chest and you have no idea how no one else can tell. 

Just when you start to worry that your hands are going to get sweaty, JB interrupts thoughtfully. “I was also thinking we could maybe get some coffee after? I know you have a class later tonight, otherwise I’d want to take you out for supper.” It really was too bad there weren’t more hours in a day. “Sure, coffee sounds great. How about the loser has to buy?”

JB smirks and says, “Fine, but you’re going to regret it,” just as the mini putt front entrance comes into view. He pulls you up to join the ticket line with childlike excitement and determination. You laugh when he quickly tosses you a purple ball and snags his own red ball before carrying both of your putters and a scorecard to the first hole. 

_Game on._

Time zooms by as you have a blast together. You’re leading slightly by the last hole, having witnessed JB hit the ball with too much energy too often to count. Your favourite hole though was when he gave up entirely and tried to hit the ball using his putter like a pool cue. The adorable way his tongue stuck out in concentration will be imprinted in your mind forever now. How he managed to actually sink that shot on the first try is beyond you! 

As you try to line up your last shot, you can hear JB heckling you playfully as he returns with some much needed juice. Glancing up to mock glare at him, you just catch him grinning at you before he accidentally almost sticks the straw of his newly opened drink up his nose instead of successfully making it to his lips. 

The unladylike snort that escapes you only doubles his embarrassment, but you can’t help the laughter that ripples through you. Clutching your own drink in shaking hands, you sit down and subdue the chuckles long enough to take a sip. The cool relief of your drink is suddenly interrupted by a familiar sound. _Click._ You choke slightly and glance at JB, who is smiling as he looks at the photo on his phone. Swallowing painfully, you manage to nonchalantly inquire, “Did you just take a picture of me?”

He nods and happily turns the phone so you can see. You feel angry as you take in the candid picture. “Please delete that.” Surprise flits across JB’s face as he asks, “Why? You look so cute with your flushed cheeks.” Resting your cool juice can on your hot cheeks, you glance away. Fighting the urge to snap at him, you try once more. “Please, just delete it. I don’t like people taking my picture.”

There’s a painful pause before JB nods slowly and deletes the photo. He comes to sit beside you on the bench. You both sip silently from your juice cans for a moment, before JB turns to look at you. “I’m sorry,” he sighs regretfully. “I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Guilt floods you as the fear leaves. Hoping to salvage the mood, you playfully bump shoulders with JB. “Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s see who’s buying drinks.”

Finding it hard to concentrate, you end up losing despite your sizable lead. Your angles need work and you get caught in the tricky sand trap too many times. It’s a pitiful way to go out after such a great game, but you can’t help it. Sensing the shift in your mood, JB doesn’t brag as exuberantly as you thought he would. Instead, he gently holds your hand and leads you out of the park to return the putters. 

Almost in a haze, you pay for the drinks like you promised and sit at a small corner table near the huge picture windows of the cafe. The sticky sensation of marshmallow on your nose brings your drifting mind back instantly though. Wiping your nose in confusion, you watch JB lick and suck the marshmallow, your marshmallow, off of his finger. The sizable dent in your S’mores frappuccino calls for immediate retaliation, so you quickly scoop a big chunk of foam off of JB’s drink. Despite his quick reflexes, JB isn’t able to dodge entirely and you manage to smear some on his cheek.

After a small scuffle, you call a truce as you try to wipe the topping out of JB’s hair. JB’s eyes light up as you giggle relentlessly. “Your smile finally reaches your eyes,” he says with satisfaction when you sit back down to sip at your messy drink. “What were you thinking about?” 

Feeling foolish, you brush off your thoughts from earlier. With a soft smile, you say, “Nothing, really. Just tired. I had a lot of fun with you today.” JB looks unconvinced, but he thankfully accepts your explanation without further questions. The rest of your coffee date passes by all too soon, JB’s jokes and thoughtful questions distracting you almost as much as the tender way he links your hands across the cafe table.

Later, after JB walks you home and lingers to thoroughly kiss you goodbye several times, you find yourself nursing blisters and a sore heart. You stare critically at yourself in the bathroom mirror as you soak your aching feet.

_ It’s not a good idea to get too attached. _

Why was it so easy to like JB? To want him? To fall for him bit by bit the more time you spend with him? 

Even after an afternoon together, you wanted to see him again right now. And yet, even now, you can still hear the click of his camera and the pounding acceleration of your heartbeat. Frustrated and anxious, you lean forward, resting your elbows on your knees. Your fingers grip your hair as you purposefully control your breathing.

_ Why is he interested in you anyway? How long before he lies to you? Hurts you? _

You promised yourself you wouldn’t give anyone power over you like that again.

_ But, JB is different... _

After so long, you it's strange to find yourself opening up and wanting to trust someone. 

_ Yeah, but how far are you going to let this go? _

Drying your feet off, you shiver as you wrap your housecoat more tightly around yourself.

Even you don’t quite know the answer to that yet.


	7. Chapter 7

The allure of JB is not something easily ignored when he sets his sights on something. Despite a jam-packed schedule and some subtle attempts to distance yourself after your mini putt date, JB has been nothing but attentive for the past week. It was like he could read your mind. He always seemed to know just what to say to reassure you when you began to doubt the sanity of trying to date him. 

JB didn’t really need the one-on-one practices anymore, but he still managed to schedule a couple with you this week too. Not that much practicing got done between sharing a meal together and his advances on you. He was driving you crazy. He seemed to enjoy dominating your senses, but he always changed pace in the most maddening way just when you think he might give in and go a step further. 

You wish he would stop teasing you, but just last night he said he wouldn’t until you agreed to be his girlfriend. His knowing smirk, like it was a sure thing, had pissed you off. You had pushed him back, declaring angrily that he better enjoy the blue balls he was in for. In his stunned silence, you had thrown his gym bag at him and stormed up to your apartment. He had recovered in time to catch you before the top of the stairs, but instead of apologizing, JB just stared at you sincerely and declared, “I’ll wait for you for as long as you need,” before quietly leaving you by yourself. You weren't quite sure what to make of his persistence.

You haven’t spoken to JB since or even texted him this morning like you usually do. But, tonight was the last practice with GOT7 before the showcase next week. You were nervous to face JB again, especially since you didn’t really have a proper answer for him. Why was the idea of making things official so daunting? You had to face him eventually though. At least the other members would be there as buffers while you sort out your feelings.

Your Uncle was also coming to watch the final rehearsal tonight. The boys had their individual moves down pat honestly. There were just a few timing issues to iron out around the tableau before the big performance. You were so proud of their insane talent and excited to finally show off your routine to your Uncle, though you were resigned to some gentle teasing since he revealed at your weekly dinners that he obviously ships JB with you. 

Rolling your eyes at what is to come, you glance down at your watch one more time to make sure you’re not running late. Always shy, your best student had asked you to come for coffee with her parents to convince them to let her participate in an upcoming tournament. You had been dreading the meeting, but they were surprisingly open-minded and asked technical questions more than anything. Their support was rather refreshing and her brother being absent was a nice bonus.

Lost in thought, you don’t glance up quick enough from your watch and collide into the back of a man waiting at the crosswalk. Rubbing your stinging nose as your bracelets jingle up and down, you back up and bow profusely as you take in the expensive suit jacket you just crashed into.

“I’m so sorry!”

“That’s alright, I…”

You glance up in confusion when the words die suddenly. Panicked wide eyes meet yours as others file around you waiting for the signal to cross. You heart constricts painfully as you choke out, “Dad…”.

It’s been years since you’ve seen him. Words and imprints of emotion flit through you, but he is already leaving, regret flashing in his eyes as he turns away like you were never there. Rooted to the spot, you follow his path across the street only to make eye contact with your mother. Still beautiful, still intimidating. Her elegant and sharply cut pinstripe navy pantsuit makes you feel under dressed in your long flowy black skirt and ruffle neck lilac blouse. 

In the moment it takes you to recognize your now grown younger brothers waiting obliviously behind her, your mother is already ushering them down the street with your father in tow. It hurts to see them again so suddenly. You want to follow them, but your mother viciously mouths ‘Stay Away’ at you before turning away again, erasing you from her life once more. 

The walk home is a blur after that. God, your youngest brother must have just graduated from high school. And you missed it. You missed all of it. What were they doing with their lives? What lies had your parents told them to get them to give up on you so easily? To never question your absence and come find you? If only your dad had more of a spine, things may have been different. You got your tenacity from your mother though, so there was no way you were ever going to see eye to eye with her on dancing even with his help.

Your instant ramyeon supper is tasteless, but the routine helps you calm down and center yourself better. What’s done is done. Finishing earlier than you expected, you shower and pull on your black and white polka dot workout gear to start stretching before the others arrive. The familiar call of the pole beckons you, so you decide to get some practice in too while you wait. Lost in the comfort of familiar movements, you barely register the sound of knocking as you finish a series of complex flips. The sudden flash of your mother’s face in your mind’s eyes jars your graceful movements abruptly though. Overextending yourself, you fall to the floor with a crash as the members let themselves in.

Your ears are ringing, but you still hear JB’s anxious shout as he rushes over to you. His face comes into view, your vision pulsing slightly as his frantic eyes sweep over you. Everyone is asking if you’re okay, but all you can concentrate on is JB’s eyes. The kindness, the caring, the concern. You don’t deserve any of it. Why can’t you give him what he wants? 

With a groan, you sit up slowly, JB’s arms instantly coming around you to support you. Rubbing your aching head, you mumble, “It’s alright. I’m okay.” You glance at JB, embarrassed to be seen like this, especially after the way you left things last night. He seems angry, but you don’t want to hear it. Brushing off his arm, you mumble, “Save me the lecture,” and try to stand up on your own.

You cry out in pain when your left leg instantly collapses, your weight too much for the sprained ankle you’ll be nursing now. You’re grateful when JB reacts quickly and scoops you up to sit in a nearby chair. It’s hard to breath around the pain of the pulled muscle in your shoulder too, but you reassure everyone again that you’re okay. You feel bad about the chaos you’ve created.

Though you manage to talk Jackson out of calling an ambulance, it’s a tough sell to stop them from cancelling the last practice to bring you to the hospital to get checked out. “You could have a concussion,” Mark points out with concern. Jinyoung is quick to add, “And you’re favoring that shoulder too.” Even Youngjae won’t back down. His hands gesture at your lame foot. “You can’t even put weight on that leg. You need to see a doctor.”

The only one who remains silent is JB. You can feel his frustration building as he continues to stand still behind you. It’s not until you insist that you’ve got everything you need to treat yourself in your bathroom upstairs that he finally reacts. Like a tightly wound spring, he jumps into action, effortlessly picking you back up and carrying you quickly, but carefully towards the stairs. When you start to protest, he cuts you off with a firm, “I get it, you’re fine. But, we are dealing with this now. I won’t let you hop up the stairs by yourself after we leave.” 

Your Uncle’s confused arrival is the last thing you hear before JB carries you over the threshold into your apartment and nudges the door shut behind him. The tension rises unbearably now that you are alone. Dreading the lecture that is coming, you quietly point him in the direction of your first aid kit as he sets you down to sit on the toilet. Only the sound of instant ice packs cracking to life penetrates the heavy silence as he finishes wrapping up your ankle. The cool relief makes you close your eyes and sigh as he holds them in place.

“What were you thinking?”

Tensing under his angry tone, your eyes flash open as his ranting continues. 

_ Ah, there’s that chin again. Haven’t seen it stick out that far in awhile _.

It’s only when JB’s shaking hand cups your face that you see a crack in that stubborn anger. He leans his head against yours, whispering in the quiet of the room, “I was so scared when I saw you fall like that. Don’t ever do that to me again. Please be more careful.”

Tears spring to your eyes as JB kisses you gently, the fear still so raw you can taste it. “I’m sorry.” The words feel like barely enough as he pulls back briefly only to kiss you again more fiercely this time, searching for the reassurance that you are indeed alright.

“Honey?”

You blush and turn away as your Uncle steps into the bathroom to check if you’re okay. If he saw anything, he wisely doesn’t comment. But the gleam in his eyes despite his somber expression tells you he definitely did. Just great. You were never going to hear the end of this. JB quietly backs up enough to give your Uncle some room to check on your ankle in your suddenly cramped bathroom. To your unending embarrassment, JB openly continues to hold your hand, unwilling to let you go just yet. 

After a quick inspection, your Uncle declares you fit enough to oversee the practice from a chair. “Finally,” you grumble, antsy to make up for the time your stupidity cost the group. Slipping on the shoulder brace you get your Uncle to dig out of your closet, you feel immediate relief. You ask JB to adjust the straps a bit as your Uncle smiles at you from his new seat on the rim of the tub.

“Why did you fall anyway, honey? You’re usually very careful.” 

Your Uncle’s question stills JB’s fingers momentarily. You frown, unsure of how much you should say. “I was distracted.” Your face crumples slightly as you admit, “I ran into my parents today. It… wasn’t pleasant.” JB’s hand comes up to rub your back soothingly as your Uncle nods. You’re grateful that they don’t delve for more details. 

When you finally hobble back downstairs with some help, it’s a relief to see that the others have been stretching and warming up while you were gone. After depositing you safely in a chair, JB quickly jogs over to join in. Earlier mishaps aside, the final practice goes perfectly. The boys are confident in their movements and they nail the final tableau like nobody’s business. 

“You guys are going to blow everyone away at the showcase!”

Excited whoops burst from the sweaty, tired group catching a breather on the floor. You are really gonna miss working with these boys. You never thought you’d become so friendly with all of them. There is just something so special about each of them. It’s been so rewarding to teach them too. “I’m proud of you guys and you should be too.” Your grin is contagious as the boys join you for one last cheer of ‘GOT7, Fighting!’ before heading out one by one to go home for the night. 

You want to discuss the choreo more with your Uncle, but, to your frustration, he rambles off a flimsy excuse before making a quick exit. JB walks over to join you, a cute, confused expression overtaking his face. “Did your Uncle just wink at me?” You sigh and nod. “Yeah, he’s rooting for you for some reason. He really needs to learn to mind his own business sometimes.” JB laughs, but smartly doesn’t comment. 

Grabbing his sports bag, JB comes over to help you up from your chair. When he offers you a piggyback ride, you hop on him with probably a little too much enthusiasm for someone with only one healthy ankle. JB stumbles slightly amid your giggles before moving you around to rest on his back better. 

“Do you have your keys? We should lock the doors before we go up.”

You childish giggling halts quickly as your brain tries to process JB’s statement. “How will you get out though once I’m upstairs for the night?” You crane around his neck to peer at him in confusion. His smirk is disarming as he replies lowly, “Won’t need to. I’m going to stay the night.” The gears in your head grind to a slow crawl at this statement. "I didn't ask you to." 

JB rolls his eyes at this. "Yeah, and you didn't ask anyone else to stay either. Not too smart considering." You nod thoughtfully, "You're right. Do you think Mark would come back if I asked him to?" JB's sure strides falter and stop as he tries to stutter out a reply. His expression quickly changes to annoyance though when you try to cover your laughter in his shoulder. The way he shuffles your weight around roughly in retaliation only makes you laugh harder. 

As you approach the front doors, you pull out your keys out of habit. “But, what about work tomorrow?” JB laughs as he snags your keys from your limp fingers, locking the studio doors before heading upstairs. “If that's the only thing stopping you from inviting me to stay, don't worry. I’m free tomorrow morning, so it’s fine.” Sensing your need to argue things further, JB cuts right to the chase. “Listen, I just want to make sure you’ll be alright. I’m not the only one worried you might have a concussion. It’s better if someone stays around to watch you.” 

You hated being coddled, but you could see his point. It was weird to have someone want to look after you after taking care of yourself for so long now. You probably didn’t really need his help, but a part of you was excited to have more time together. It was kind of ironic. As much as you’ve been wanting to spend the night with JB, this is not how you thought it would happen. You sigh in defeat and mumble, “Fine, you can stay if you want to,” as he locks you both into your apartment with a finality that tells you he wasn’t going to take no for an answer anyway. 

As you slide slowly off JB’s back to sit at the kitchen table, you feel a bit flustered at your current situation. A surreptitious glance to check on how clean you left things makes you feel a little more relaxed though. Not the most presentable, but at least it was somewhat tidy. JB’s awkward shuffling redirects your attention to more pressing matters though as you direct him to where the towels are so he can go ahead and take a shower.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

You wave off his concerned expression. “This isn’t my first rodeo. Injuries like this happen all the time in pole dancing.” He scowls at your nonchalance, but nods. Ruffling your hair just to aggravate you in return, his parting laugh lingers in the air as he walks down the hall to go shower. He was lucky you weren’t up to chasing him down right now.

Finally alone, you drop your bravado and rub your face tiredly. Tears well in your eyes for a foolish moment. Shaking your head in frustration, you dash at your tears with more force that is probably necessary before stumbling your way to your bedroom. Fear and grief pull at you, making your chest feel heavy. The fall had been scary, yes. But, you knew you would be okay. No, what scared you more was that your family could still hurt you so much.

Unbuckling the shoulder brace on your own is more difficult than you expected, but you manage to get it off with a groan. You roll your shoulder experimentally. The sharp pain from earlier is still there, but thankfully with less intensity. It should be better in a few days hopefully. You were pretty lucky considering. As you pull off your workout gear, your fingers trace the sizable bruise forming on your left hip. It was tender, but it was a small price to pay. Giving into the fall was better than trying to hang on and tearing a muscle.

Releasing your hair from the messy bun you had tied up ages ago, you run your fingers through your hair with a sigh. There was no point dwelling on this afternoon. That part of your life was over. What you needed was to relax. While you were craving a beer, maybe some tea would be a better idea? Slipping on your comfy grey hooded sweater dress and purple slippers, you make it back to the kitchen just as JB is coming out of the bathroom. Maybe he can help you decide.

Any questions you had planned to ask die on your lips when JB turns to face you. You watch him run his hands through his messy damp hair in mild mortification as he fidgets to cover his exposed skin, mumbling, “Sorry, I thought I had an extra set of clothes in my gym bag, but this was all I could find.” He flicks the useless zipper on his red hoodie with annoyance, adding, “This stupid zipper doesn’t even work.” 

You nod mutely as your eyes slide down his exposed torso, lingering on the trail of hair that disappears into his black sweatpants. Despite your aches, or perhaps because of them, your desire for JB flares to life with more intensity than usual. You don’t try to hide it when you look him in the eyes again. The satisfying way his adam’s apple jumps when he recognizes it makes you flush with excitement. 

When JB coughs clumsily and breaks eye contact, your throat closes with nerves. “Don’t”. The word escapes and you can’t take it back. You don’t want to take it back. “Please”. His eyes find yours again apprehensively, but you can’t stop the words as they tumble out. “I want you. I know you want me too.” You watch as his pupils dilate, his hands fisting at his sides. What’s holding him back?

Unwilling to back down, you grasp the bottom of your dress and begin to lift it up. JB rushes over, his hands stilling yours as he yells in consternation, “What are you doing? You’re injured!” Was that the issue? You smile gently at him, whispering softly, “I’ll be alright. I'm not delicate. You won't break me, Jaebum." 

JB's eyes hold yours for a desperate moment before his mouth is covering yours, his hands that had stopped yours now racing to feel the touch of your skin. When you stumble backwards slightly, JB scoops your legs out from under you. Panting, you just manage to point him towards your bedroom before he kisses you senseless again.

It's only when he trips on a wayward hair dryer that JB's forced to stop with a laugh and put you down. His eyes follow you as you back up towards you bed, the intensity of his need stoking the fire spreading under your skin. Once more you reach for the hem of your dress, lifting it over your head in one smooth motion. The twinge of pain in your shoulder is lost in your rush to be free of the suddenly suffocating fabric. 

Goosebumps breakout across your exposed skin. You remind yourself to breath as you look back up at JB. He seems surprised that you were only wearing underwear underneath, but he is quick to recover. You shake as his eyes darken, sliding over your skin and memorizing what you’ve laid bare to him. When JB finally crosses over to you, he spins you around and pulls you back against his chest. He groans in your ear when you grind back on him, his excitement edging you on. 

Turning your face to look up at him, JB leans down and kisses you. You nip at his lip and pull his face closer as his hands blaze a trail across your skin. You can feel his desperate need to explore you and you're itching to return the favour. However, your composure quickly starts to slip as his hands travel in opposite directions. You buck at his touch, barely able to stand. His touch is somehow incredibly gentle, yet deliciously rough. Quivering uncontrollably under the onslaught, you moan and whimper, “Wai...wait, Jaebum…”, but he only holds you more firmly, tenderly anchoring you as you finally break for him. 

His pleased grin barely pulls a blush from you as he lowers you onto the bed and covers you with a blanket. You are so relaxed, your bones feel heavy. You sigh sleepily as JB comes around to cuddle you, his arms once more snaking around your waist as he settles down to sleep. The warmth of his body along your back makes you feel safe and comfortable, but the lingering tingle in your toes won’t let you enjoy it. Feeling guilty, you shift slightly to look back at JB again, saying, “We don’t need to stop. I can keep going,” even as you start to yawn. 

The corner of JB’s mouth quirks up in a cute half smile before tucking you closer to him once more. “Don’t worry about me, I enjoyed myself. We can do more when you’re feeling better,” he whispers in your ear. You try to roll over to argue again, but his low chuckle stops you as he confesses, “Besides, I’ve been dreaming about touching you like that for a long time now.” You finally do blush as you whisper back, “I want to touch you sometime too you know.” JB laughs and strokes your hair. “I know, soon." 

There’s a quiet pause as JB continues to stroke your hair, making you sleepier and sleepier. In the world between wakefulness and dreams, JB’s final whispers barely reach you, though you will most likely forget them by morning. “I just don’t want you to cut and run on me like your Uncle warned me you always do. I want you to be certain about me. I’m… I’m serious about you. One day, I’ll find a way to prove it to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you've all noticed that I've been naming the different parts of Look after GOT7 songs, though many of you probably haven't seen the lyrics I've posted for each part under the description notes for Look. Go check them out if you haven't. I always choose the song and the lyrics so that they give some insight into how the GOT7 member is feeling since my stories are always written from the Reader's perspective. I've already posted lyrics for the rest of the members, so check those out if you want a bit of a spoiler haha
> 
> I'm mentioning this now because "Prove It" so perfectly captures how JB feels in this story. I picked previous titles based on parts of the song, but every line of "Prove It" speaks to JB's motivation and the way he feels for the Reader in my story. Seriously, give it a listen sometime, even if it's just to enjoy the music. You'll see what I mean. :)


	8. Chapter 8

The first thing you see when you wake up is JB's sleepy eyes blinking back at you. You smile softly at the sight, a small part of you thinking you could definitely get used to this, before JB groans, "Five more minutes…" and rolls over. Chuckling, you run your hands through his hair, smoothing the ends down that are trying to defy gravity. He barely stirs when you plant a kiss on his head. A little disappointed, you start to retreat, only to jump and laugh in surprise when JB snatches your wrist, pulling you against him as he rolls back over. 

Awareness of your near-nakedness comes again as JB drags you down for a kiss. You feel embarrassed by how easily you came undone at JB's touch last night. Even with the dust of dreams just swept from your eyes, you can feel yourself coming alive the longer he kisses you. Even half sleep, he still stirs something inside your chest that you haven’t felt in a long time. What is it about this man? 

Saved by the beeping of your alarm clock, you laugh again, swatting at JB's attempts to continue the kiss as you reach to shut it off. "I have a class this morning!" you protest. Finally slipping away, you wrap yourself in your housecoat as JB sits up to stretch. "You can sleep a bit longer," you offer as you unwrap your ankle. "I'm just going to hop in the shower first." Inspecting your ankle, you’re pleased that the swelling has gone down a bit already. 

JB glances at the clock and nods, pointing at the window. "Mind it I open it for a bit?" You shrug as you put on your slippers. "You can if you can get it open." You chuckle at JB's sleepy confusion. Now’s probably not the time to start an argument about how cute he can be. "It sticks so bad, I hardly ever have it open. That's the problem with old buildings like this, I guess." 

Running a little behind, you leave with a little wave before JB can answer. The heat of the shower is therapeutic on your tired muscles as you stretch in the shower. The bruise on your hip is an angry blue-violent this morning, but at least you don’t need to favour your shoulder as much today. You may still use the brace for a bit and you’ll definitely have to wrap your ankle for awhile yet, but today is your advanced class so you at least feel comfortable directing your class from the floor. 

Giving your shower one last wistful glance, you step out all too soon and start towel-drying your hair. Wrapping a fluffy pink towel around yourself, you pad barefoot back to the bedroom. You pause for a minute to watch the breeze ruffle JB’s hair. Looks like he dozed back off after cracking the window open the tiniest amount. It really was a stubborn window frame. You chuckle as he curls into the ray of light coming through the open curtains. You were really lucky to be in a neighbourhood where your apartment was actually higher than the local businesses, giving you a great view of the sunrise most mornings. 

Snagging a seat at your vanity, you try to brush out the knots in your hair before it dries completely. JB’s sleeping figure fills its reflection, suddenly bringing to mind the strange dream you had last night. Only bits and pieces remained in your mind upon waking, but you know your dream was filled with JB. Holding hands, kissing, laughing. A simple life together filled with joy. And something about a road trip maybe? You blush just thinking about it. Now you remember. You had dreamt about being a real couple with JB. Being his girlfriend.

Shaking your head, you cross the room towards your dresser to grab an outfit for class. You weren’t ready to admit it, certainly not out loud and barely to yourself, but you could feel yourself slowly warming up to the idea of making a real go of things with JB. As your mind goes off into whimsical fantasies of what dating JB might be like, you lay your red sports bra and black shorts on the bed on auto pilot, careful not to wake JB.

It’s not until you are almost dressed that the faintest of sounds reaches the edge of your awareness. Trying to pin down the source of the sound and your growing unease, you pull on your sports bra and tilt your head until your ears find it. _ Click. _ There it is, just under the bird song coming from the window. _ Click, click. _ In sickeningly slow motion, your eyes travel up passed JB and out the window onto your fire escape. _ Click. _

You’re screaming before your mind can even catch up, your legs giving out under you. JB bolts upright at the sound, his eyes frantically searching for you. You want to explain and ask for help, but it’s like hands are clawing at your throat. You can’t breath or move, but your body feels so heavy, the fear weighing you down unbearably. Confusion engulfs you when JB’s eyes shift widely towards a sound you can no longer hear above the ringing in your ears. When he jumps off your bed towards the fire escape, you flinch at the fiercely angry expression on his face. 

Retreating to the comfort of your closet, you close the doors and try to calm down. Each deep breath brings new images into sharper focus as you process what just happened. The sun reflecting on a cell phone. The dusting of red hair peeking out from behind your recycling bins. The _ click. click. click. o_f a camera. Oh god. Your stomach rolls as you clutch your hair, bringing your legs up to your chest as you wish to shrink and disappear entirely from the gut wrenching sobs that build up from the pain in your chest.

When the closet doors reopen suddenly, you scream at the flash of light, flailing without seeing, trying to edge yourself back further into the darkness. When strong arms pull you closer, you try to fight them as the bile of fear rises at the back of your throat until… _Jaebum_. The smell of him penetrates through the haze of your mind, bringing with it more awareness. You finally hear him calling your name again and again, trying to calm you even as you fight against his embrace.

Tears blur him from your view momentarily before your world opens up again and you can see JB right in front of you. He looks frantic, relief flooding his eyes when you whisper his name back. He pulls you in tightly, his hand cradling the back of your head tenderly as he tells you over and over again that everything is alright. When your tears slow and your breathing calms, JB still refuses to separate from you. Joining you in your hideaway, JB pulls you into his lap, your head resting against his broken red sweater. His hands tremble over you as the adrenaline slips out of his system as easily as it came.

Only the sound of both of you breathing can be heard for a few moments as you both try to collect your thoughts. “Listen,” JB begins uncertainly, “I don’t want to upset you again, but that guy on your fire escape has clearly been there before. I…” His fists clench in anger again, his flexing chin bringing attention to the split in his lip you hadn’t noticed before. Worry and guilt eat at you as you tilt JB’s head for a better look. “Don’t do that!” you say in exasperation when he pokes at the split with his tongue. 

Shifting to get up with the intention of grabbing some ice, you don’t get too far before JB pulls you closer again. “Don’t worry about it right now,” he says softly before continuing. “I got out in time to catch that guy before he got away, I swear I’ve seen him somewhere before.” You nod, shivering a bit. “Yeah, you met him briefly before. I teach his sister.” Your stomach rolls again as you add with some detachment, “I’m supposed to teach her this morning.”

JB shifts a bit and pulls a cell phone out of his pocket. The screen is badly cracked, but there still seems to be some life left in it. As you stare at it, you hear JB like he’s speaking at the end of a tunnel. “I tried to stop him from running, but at least I was able to snag his phone. The idiot doesn’t even have a lock screen and from what I could tell he didn’t use cloud saves either. So the pictures are only on his memory card. But…” His hand squeezes yours as he finishes the rest in a rush. “It… It’s bad. This wasn’t his first time. He’s been sneaking pictures of you for days now. I… I’m sorry.” 

The feeling of his arms securely around you is the only thing holding you together still as you numbly process what JB’s saying. What if JB hadn’t been here to open the window today? Would you have ever found out? What twisted pleasure did that asshole get from taking those pictures of you? What if you had discovered him alone? Would he have run away still or would he have tried to make good on his fantasies? Spiraling further and further, you laugh bitterly when you finally hear JB hesitantly offer, “If you want, I’ll go with you to the police station today. I can...”

“There’s no point.” _ Even if the police decide to help, a good lawyer will get him out of trouble. _You shrug casually despite feeling numb on the inside, “He’s a coward, I doubt he’ll show his face around here again now.”

When JB starts to argue with you, you finally divest yourself from his lap and walk over to your bed. Mechanically, you reach for your phone and message your students that classes are cancelled for the day. You feel so tired all of a sudden. All you want to do is sleep. You need this day to be over. 

But, JB won’t let you sleep. He keeps telling you to protect yourself, to bring in the phone as evidence, to make a statement to the police. His well-meaning words swirl inside you, bringing forth the comfort of red, hot rage. He doesn’t resist when you suddenly grab the cracked phone from his hands. With surprising force for someone who just pulled her shoulder the night before, you hurl the phone at the wall, viciously smashing it open with a cry between a sob and a snarl. 

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Before he can stop you, you fall to your knees, sifting through the wreckage for the knife still twisting your insides. _ There it is. _ The memory card. It snaps in two easily, the sound freeing in a way you hadn’t expected. JB is standing there looking stricken as you stand back up. “Why did you do that?” he asks with so much genuine confusion, it’s almost laughable. You shrug wearily, saying, “It made me feel better,” as you cross back to your bed.

Unable to look at JB any longer, your eyes trace the red and orange tulips dancing across your comforter as you say, “Look, I think you should leave. You never signed up for this. I’m sorry to drag you into my mess of a life. I’m not… I’m not right for you. It’s okay, just go, JB. Leave. It’s okay.” Pulling the comforter down, you climb into it once more, feeling lightyears away from the happy go-lucky daydreamer you were this morning. You should have known better than to think everything would be alright. You should never have pinned your hopes on someone again. 

Tears burn your closed eyes as you try not to fall apart. Your eyelids slowly open when the mattress dips with new weight. “Stop telling me to leave,” JB says, leaning back on the headboard. His eyes trap yours, his heart bared to you as emotions continue to rise up from their depths. Worry, fear, anger, and… “I love you,” he says, so abruptly and with such certainty that he steals your breath. Red creeps up JB’s neck as he looks away shyly just as quickly. “I fell for you the first time you laid your stubborn eyes on me.” He chuckles endearingly at the memory. “I think you felt it then too.”

Even as you recognize the truth of his words, fear wells up and steals your voice. JB slides down to your level, lying across from you once more as he reaches for your hand and holds it gently. “There is nothing about you that is not right for me. There is nothing that could change my mind about you.” The tears come again, but the patience in JB’s eyes never waivers. 

Expelling a shaky breath, you try to find the words. “I… I don’t like getting my picture taken.” JB nods, but doesn’t interrupt as you struggle to explain. “It sounds so simple and almost stupid when I say it like that, but it’s so much more than that. The sound of the shutter just sets me off. I…”. You gulp, suddenly nervous. _Here it comes._ “I had a fiance once.” JB’s eyebrows shoot up dramatically, bringing forth the ghost of a smile on your face. “His parents and my parents had been close friends for years, so our engagement was basically planned from birth. They run a successful business conglomerate, so our union was going to be beneficial for both our families.”

Memories shift through your mind, some good, some bad. “He was very kind to me when we were little. He was a few years older than me, so he always kept an eye out for me. I was… looking forward to a future together.” JB nods in understanding, though you can see the flash of confusion he tries to hide. “I even applied for the same university he was attending instead of studying abroad like I had wanted to, just so we could spend more time together.” 

When your lip starts to quiver, JB pulls you closer, the weight of his arm shielding and comforting you as you stare at his collarbone unseeing. “He felt a lot of pressure from his family too. I thought he would be excited for me when I told him about my new dream. I came to tell him after my parents threatened to throw me out. I was really upset, but he convinced me that they would come around." You swallow hard. _What a liar. _"He and his roommates even took me out for drinks to help me take my mind off things.”

Holding onto JB’s hand tighter, you fist your free hand in the material of his sweater as your breathing becomes harsher. “I… I don’t know what happened. I was at the bar with them and the next thing I remember is waking up on his couch. I…”. You shiver again as tears fall silently while JB rubs your back. The vein in his neck jumps as his jaw clenches, but still he stays silent. “I noticed how cold I was first before anything else. Then I heard it. The shutter of a camera. The obscene laughing. I tried to struggle, but my limbs felt so heavy and I was so disoriented. They just kept laughing as my fiance finished undressing me and started to touch me, his room mates taking pictures the whole time.” _ Click. Click. Click _. You can still hear it now.

“Breathe, baby.”

You don’t even notice you’re hyperventilating until JB speaks, calmly urging you to follow his lead and take deeper breaths. When you’re in control again, you climb on top of JB, resting your head on his chest so you can hear his steady heartbeat. It centers you enough to finish. “He kicked me out after that and tried to get my parents to blackmail me with the photos they took. He still wanted to go through with the engagement for our families, but he said there was no way he could still marry a wannabe whore like me when he wanted to become a politician one day. For some reason, he thought my parents would use the photos to try to steer me back on to the legal track.” 

Boy, was his plan way off. “Instead, it just made them even more embarrassed of me. They wanted to cut me out of their perfect life after that. While I was trying to process everything that had happened, they settled the blackmailing out of court with my fiance’s parents. The engagement was broken discretely and my family received a large payoff for signing a gag order about the whole thing so that their company could avoid a scandal.” 

You chuckle bitterly. “It took my parents a lot of convincing to get me to sign too. They cared more about their image than about getting justice for their little girl and that broke me worse than anything else. They cut me out of their life as soon as I caved in and signed. They even gave me my portion of the payoff as a final parting gift.”

JB’s arms tighten around you as you dry your tears, his voice breaking slightly as he says, “I’m so sorry this happened to you. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.” You can feel the turbulence of his emotions as he kisses you gently on the forehead. You nuzzle his chest, saying with a sigh, “What’s done is done now I guess. I was so lost at the time, but my Uncle let me stay with him until I got back on my feet. He convinced me to invest in this place actually and pushed me to fight for what I really wanted. I owe him so much, I could never repay him.”

The silence that follows the end of your story is comforting rather than worrisome. As JB absorbs everything you told him, you finally completely relax against him. It was a strange feeling to finally have things out in the open to someone, but it was a relief to not be trapped by secrets anymore. As if he can read your mind, JB asks, “Will you get in trouble for telling me about this?” Trying for levity, you chuckle and say, “No, just don’t go run and post it on social media or anything.” When the joke falls short, you sigh again. “Seriously though, please don’t tell anyone, not even the guys. I don’t want them to treat me differently.”

JB gently rolls you onto your back, hovering over you as he asks, “You aren’t worried that I’ll treat you differently now?” You smile and shake your head. “No, I’m not. Just don’t try to take my picture anymore!” you say with a laugh, feeling suddenly carefree as you realize you **aren’t** worried in the slightest. You trust in JB’s feelings for you. And, as JB leans down to kiss you deeply, you vow to yourself that soon JB will be able to trust in your feelings for him too.


	9. Chapter 9

** _ JB, Markeu, Jackson, Park Jinyoung, Choi Youngjae, Bambam, Kim Yugyeom! _ **

The energy from the crowd is insane as the boys start their opening formation. It’s surreal to finally be at the showcase after 8 short weeks of practice, but the boys were killing it! Even knowing what’s coming, your heart is in your throat as the first chorus comes up. JB’s eyes find yours on the sidelines, his grin lighting up his eyes as he chucks off the signature orange bomber jacket each member is wearing, revealing his black tank top underneath to the delighted screams of the audience. 

You watch proudly as JB rotates around the pole with complete control. The gasps of the audience are gratifying and the cheers that follow only pump the boys up more. JB shares one last smile with you before getting back into formation seamlessly. You laugh and roll your eyes at the wink JB sends the adoring audience as he sticks his tongue out with playful sexiness, completely in his element. 

This last week has been packed with promotional work for this showcase and GOT7's upcoming tour. Unfortunately, between your two schedules, there hadn't been much time to see JB lately. A few sweet late night phone calls and a breakfast date had made up for the loneliness you pretended not to feel when you couldn't see him everyday. You were honestly so proud of his hard work though that it was easy to encourage JB and cheer him on even if it meant time apart. 

Your Uncle had snuck you in to see the guys earlier just before the taping began so you could offer some final advice and words of encouragement. An electric zing had passed through your body when JB's eyes met yours in the dressing room. It wasn't just the attraction you've felt for him since the beginning though. It was more like everything had clicked into place. You felt complete just being near him. A little dumbfounded by how much you had missed him, you had stumbled over your words slightly as you greeted everyone.

Thankfully, the others hadn't noticed since they were too busy teasing JB about the blush he had failed to hide when he caught sight of you. In an effort to look professional, you had settled on a forest green ruffle palazzo skirt with a snug white blouse and white stilettos. The V shape of your portrait neckline was subtly sexy, showing a hint of your shoulders and your collar bones. Even now you remember fiddling nervously with your silver baby bird earrings as you tried to quell the excitement growing inside you the longer JB stared at you.

It was hard to remember what words of wisdom you had managed to imparted to the guys after that, but whatever you had said, they seemed full of energy now as the performance continues on. When it’s time for Jackson and Youngjae to shed their jackets too, the crowd goes crazy. You feel like a proud mama thinking back on how timid they were at the beginning. Even Youngjae’s confidence is unmistakable as the choreography goes off without a hitch. You knew they could do it! You laugh again when Jackson takes a second to flex for the adoring crowd before joining the others in time with Youngjae.

_ This is it. Come on guys! _

As the song builds to its climax and the rest of the boys throw off their orange bomber jackets, the crowd screams before growing quiet with anticipation. It’s impossible to not be completely absorbed by the image the boys are creating, the emotion of the scene swelling in time with the music. When Jinyoung finally takes that fall, the reaction is immense and the cheering that follows almost deafening. The boys finish flawlessly, breaking into wide grins once the taping is finished. The feedback from the ahgases is incredible as the members call out to them before making their way off stage to change for the second performance they will be taping shortly for their latest comeback single.

You bite your nails, antsy with repressed energy. All you want to do is run to the guys and tell them what a great job they did, but it would do more harm than good. They really needed this time to rest in between performance. Your Uncle catches your eye with a knowing smirk, like he can read exactly what you're thinking. “This is your fault you know,” you say, sticking your tongue out at him playfully. You expect him to respond with mock confusion, but he swings an arm around your shoulders instead, whispering, “You’re welcome, honey,” with a soft smile. The two of you share this quiet, sideways hug a moment longer before your Uncle is called off to answer some questions by JYP staff. 

Pulling your cell phone out of your clutch, you’re surprised to see several messages from the boys asking about how the performance went on the group thread you started with them a few weeks ago. A simple joy spreads through you, the feeling of belonging to a family.

_ ‘You guys were on fire! Rest up and recharge so you can blow me away with your next performance too.’ _

The emojis and stickers they send back in response make you giggle as you scroll down your phone. “Excuse me, Noona…” You glance up with embarrassment, wondering if you were being too loud. You don’t immediately recognize the person talking to you and he definitely isn’t dressed like the staff here. Actually, you would bet money that he’s here to perform based on the way he’s dressed and made up. What group is he a part of? You rack your brains, but no answer comes to mind immediately.

Taking in your confusion, he bows apologetically, saying, “I’m sorry to just approach you when we haven’t been introduced yet. I know your Uncle, he helped develop the choreography for the single we’re debuting tonight.” You couldn’t remember the details, but your Uncle had mentioned working with a rookie group from JYP during your weekly dinners this month. You smile politely to reassure him. “That’s alright, I don’t mind. Were you looking for him? He just stepped out for a minute.” 

He looks a few years younger than you and seems a bit shy. You smile at the bashful way he flattens his blonde hair down and wonder if he’s the maknae of his group. "No, I actually wanted to talk to you," he says timidly. "I heard that you were the choreographer for GOT7's performance just now. I had to come over and tell you how incredible it was!" His shyness evolves into an energetic grin and you find yourself smiling back at his enthusiasm.

Before you can thank him for the compliment, he barrels on, catching you a bit off guard as he asks, "The rest of my group and I were wondering if you'd be interested in choreographing our next single too?" Your eyebrows rise in surprise as you cross your arms. "You liked the choreo that much that you wanna work with me without having a song in mind?" He nods excitedly, elaborating further, “We were hoping we could book you before your Uncle assigns you to a different group. We really loved the moves you designed and we are hoping for a sexier edge to our next comeback honestly.” He picks at his cutesy outfit with distaste.

Discomfort spreads through your chest as you sigh in disappointment. You try to be kind to the younger guy as you shut him down completely. “Listen, first of all, I don’t work for my Uncle. I run my own studio and was asked to consult for GOT7 specifically. I’m sorry to say that I’m not looking to work with another JYP group any time soon. I have my own students and competitions to worry about. So I’m going to have to say no to your offer.”

You watch as he nods awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other in worried embarrassment. Did his hyungs put him up to this? Poor guy. “Alright, sorry to bother you,” he says, smile slipping slightly before excitement pops into his eyes again. “Well, hey, let me help you promote your studio a little as thanks for listening to me. My instagram followers will spread the word if I ask them to.” 

Not quite following what he’s getting at, you feel like a deer in headlights when he digs a cell phone out of his pocket. An arm casually loops around your shoulder as he leans closer to you to snap a selfie. Mouth dry and heart racing, you try to tell him to stop, but he chuckles and holds the camera up and out of reach. His hip bumps yours, his voice telling you to smile as your eyes squeeze shut.

“Sunbaenim!” 

The surprise in his voice quickly opens your eyes despite your anxiety. They widen at the sight of JB glaring down at his hoobae, a firm hand on his wrist. Relief floods you instantly. Sliding out from the limp arm on your shoulder, you back up to stand next to JB who finally releases the arm of the very anxious younger idol. JB’s eyes turn to yours protectively as the others crowd around, sensing the tension in the air. You barely hear them lecturing the blonde boy into a hasty retreat as JB reaches out to rub your back gently. “I’m alright,” you say, smiling genuinely at his concern. 

The tension quickly dissipates as the members casually joke around with you before your Uncle returns to shoo them to the stage for their final taping. You sneak a quick peck on JB’s cheek, erasing the last of his worried expression with your smile. As your eyes follow the boys to the stage, you're pleased to find that you really do feel alright. The fear had passed quickly and it was no secret why. Just seeing JB was enough to make you feel safer, calmer, braver… Maybe one day soon you won’t have to be afraid anymore.

Finally finished, the boys join you and your Uncle at the staff exit. You smile as JB tries to casually offer you a ride home to the amusement of the others. You had already made plans to spend time together tonight and it was cute that he was trying to be discreet about it. No one is buying it though. Everyone seems to know something is going on between the two of you. When their teasing becomes unbearable, JB snatches your hand and walks off without another word, their laughter trailing behind you. You don’t mind though. His stormy expression pulls another giggle from you as he leads you to his car.

The ride home is relaxing as you continue to hold hands in a blissful bubble. The gentle grip of his hand is like an anchor for your soul, the warmth of his skin soothing like nothing else before. “Thanks again for earlier,” you whisper in the quiet. JB glances as you, rubbing his thumb across the back of your hand in a comforting gesture as he refocuses on the road. “I was just caught by surprise, that’s all,” you explain in embarrassment. “No one’s ever tried to take a selfie with me so suddenly before. He actually was really nice and polite.” Hopefully JB will go easy on his hoobae the next time he sees him. 

JB hums contemplatively as he makes the final turn into your now familiar neighbourhood. “You must get your picture taken a lot for work though.” You nod, hearing the unspoken question. “Yeah, it’s not so bad at competitions since they don’t allow flash photography during performances. They don’t want the dancers to get jarred by the light. The music is usually so loud that I can’t even hear any pictures being taken either. I just block it out and focus on my dancing.” 

Pulling into your parking lot, JB cuts the engine and turns to listen to you more fully as you finish explaining, “If I win, then things get a little harder since there are press photos. But, it’s easier to take pictures in a group and I don’t know… I guess I don’t get as anxious because I know their coming. Sometimes it’s too much, but I just try to grin and bear it. I’m getting better at that these days.” You shrug, adding, “It’s over quick enough.”

To your surprise, JB curls his fingers around his mouth to hide his embarrassment as he suddenly admits, “I was really upset when I saw you two were taking a selfie.” Your eyebrows crunch together as you feel a little guilty. JB’s eyes widen in panic at your sad expression, his hands waving apologetically as he says, “It was stupid of me to get jealous without thinking. It wasn’t hard to see how uncomfortable you were once I noticed your hands were shaking.” 

There’s an awkward silence in the car before JB runs his hands bashfully through his hair, thoroughly messing the stylish part of his bangs. “I don’t want to push you, I just…” JB sighs and shakes his head. Crooking the corner of your mouth in an indulgent smile, you reach over to smooth his bangs back into place. “It’s okay, tell me,” you say patiently. He stares at you, stumbling over his words slightly as he tries to explain, “We’re going on our world tour soon and I was kind of hoping… well… I was kind of hoping I could have a photo of you to take with me.”

Your heart skips a little upon hearing this. “M...maybe?” you offer, feeling flustered by JB’s request. It was rather sweet and old fashioned of him, but could you do it? “Let’s go inside and have something to eat first,” you say, hoping to buy some time. “I’m starving!” JB nods, effortlessly switching the conversation to which place to order from as he follows you inside.

The hopeful excitement that never leaves JB’s eyes makes your stomach do small flip flops as you both finish packing up the leftovers much later. JB hasn’t brought his request back up, but as you’re left alone in the living room for a moment while he goes to the bathroom, you can’t stop thinking about it. It was such a simple thing really, silly even. These days, people had social media pages full of pictures. If you wanted to, you could easily find a picture of JB with little effort, whereas you hadn’t willing had your photo taken in years.

Stealing your nerves, you decide it’s worth a shot. Grabbing your phone, you find the camera app and manage to turn it to selfie mode after a few tries. It’s a little strange to be able to see yourself suddenly on the screen. Fixing your hair slightly, you muster up a smile. _ God, that’s horrible. _ You cringe and try again. _ Well, here goes nothing. _ The sudden _ click _ from your phone makes you jump, blurring the photo at the last second. 

You groan in frustration, jumping again when JB suddenly sits down beside you. “How long were you standing there?” you ask, biting your lip in embarrassment. The way JB’s eyes dance with humour are enough to make you want to disappear into the couch. You try to cover your face, but JB just chuckles and pulls you snug against him. “I have an idea that might help,” JB offers, taking your phone from you. You watch as he turns the volume all the way down on your phone. “This way you won’t hear anything,” he explains. He hesitates before offering the phone back to you, “Are you sure you want to try this? I mean, there is plenty of time and I’ll wait for whenever your ready. It doesn’t have to be right now.” 

“I'm sure. I don’t want this hanging over my life anymore.”

The words leave you in a rush, like a secret finally shared between friends. “I’ve always wanted to be rid of this fear, to move on with my life. I think… I think I can do it now, or I want to anyway. Will you help me?” JB nods. "Of course. But, how?" You're not too sure yourself. You fiddle with your fingernails for a moment before JB offers, "Why don't we take a picture together? I'll take it and all you have to do is sit there."

Passing off your cell phone, your eyes widen unconsciously as you follow the trajectory of JB's arm. You try to smile, but the anxiety curling in the pit of your stomach makes your face feel frozen. With a shaky laugh, you halt JB's arm with a little more force than is probably necessary before squeaking out, “Maybe we should start with something else.” It’s a relief when he passes the phone off to you without complaint. The tender kiss he places on your temple eases some of your embarrassment. Why did you think you could do this?

JB is undeterred though and curiously asks, “Have you ever used a camera before?” You contemplate a bit before answering, “Well, I used to take pictures of my friends a lot in high school. I guess it’s been a long time since I’ve used one. I hadn’t really thought about it.” Tapping the screen of your phone, JB suggests, “Why don’t you start by taking my picture?” 

You nod at the suggestion. Starting anywhere was still a start.

Your face feels hot as you switch out of selfie mode and hold up your screen to JB’s face. “Move back,” he says with a chuckle, “We’re sitting too close.” You scoot back until you are sitting facing each other at opposite ends of the couch. Shaking slightly, you lift the camera back up and try to center JB in the lens before quickly taking the picture. _ Click_. You smile as you look at the image you took. Arms up on the back of the couch and arm rest, JB’s relaxed posture is effortlessly sexy. _ That wasn’t so bad. _

With slightly more confidence, you continue to take pictures of JB as he patiently endures your new sense of freedom. You laugh as he seductively unbuttons the collar of his red and white striped shirt before playfully sticking his tongue out at you the next minute. Trying different angles, you cross the crouch slowly as you inch towards him again on your knees. You don’t even notice how close you’ve gotten until JB reaches out and rubs your hip, making you jump slightly. “Let’s try a picture together now,” he suggests softly while playing with one of his dangling earrings. He waves away your phone when you try to pass it to him as you sit down. “You should try to take it. You might be more comfortable that way.” 

The selfie you take looks tilted and stiff, but you smile at your screen anyway. Your first picture with JB. Amusement overtakes you both as you laugh at the way JB’s hair is cut off from the shot. Intent on trying again and getting the perfect picture, you take a few more selfies. You pout as JB bursts out laughing when each picture turns out to be worse than the last. “You’re just too short,” he says, patting your head with a chuckle. You roll your eyes and pass the phone in his direction. “Fine, you do better then,” you challenge.

JB’s face lights up as he takes the phone and angles the camera higher for a better shot. Although unspoken, your trust in him is implicit in this simple gesture. You feel some of the nerves from earlier return. They drift inside your chest, not quite gone. It’s a relief when they don’t choke you like they usually do and you manage to summon a genuine smile for the first time. The picture turns out perfect, except…

“You cut off my chin!”

JB huffs as you continue laughing. When he drags you to sit in his lap, tickling you in retaliation, you bite your lip to quell your mirth. JB’s arm steadies you as you catch your breath, the curl of his fingers around your waist warming your skin. “Let me try one more time,” you offer, hoping to distract yourself from the way JB’s breath is ghosting across the crook of your neck as you reach for your forgotten phone on the side table. 

JB has other ideas in mind though. His lips skim your exposed skin, teeth nipping at the top of your shoulder blade. You squirm, swallowing hard when JB murmurs, “You know, I’ve been wanting to do this since I first saw you tonight. Your skin has been driving me crazy.” You inhale sharply when he sucks at your neck, sighing as his fingers snake around to pull you even closer. You relax into JB’s chest, eyes closing as JB pulls down the sleeve of your shirt to kiss further down your back.

“Jaebum...”

It’s hard to focus as your pulse jumps repeatedly. Shaking slightly from his sinful kisses, you finally breathe out, “Jaebum, I… I want to make a real go of this. I want to be a real couple.” His grip on you tightens, his kisses stilling. “Are you sure?” He asks, hiding his face in your shoulder in an effort to keep his hopes in check. You smile softly, placing a hand on his head so he will turn and look at you again. “I love you, Jaebum.” A grin lights up your face as his eyes widen adorably. “I want you to be only mine and I want to belong to only you. If you still want me?”

In a flurry of kisses and giggles, JB lies you down on the couch, intent on showing you just how much he wants you. “I can be jealous,” JB warns around kisses that make your toes curl, “and possessive. I’m protective of what’s mine.” You nod, blood boiling as his eyes hungrily trace your body. When he climbs over you completely and pins your hands above your head, a thrill races through you. You roll your hips up to meet his, making you both groan at the intimate contact. His hand grips your hip roughly, his control slipping fast. “I’m not afraid of you, Jaebum…” you pant, excited by the power you have over him. “Please…”.

When JB finally, **finally** gives in, all you can do is writhe helplessly as he dominates your senses completely. Practically ripping them off of you, he carelessly tosses your clothes aside as he explores your skin with reckless abandon. All you can think of is him as he steals your breath repeatedly, his touch reaching the deepest part of you even as he tastes you unexpectedly, ripping a moan from you as your pleasure peaks more rapidly and with more intensity than you’ve ever felt before.

Releasing your hands, JB removes his clothes quickly before carefully scooping you up and carrying you to the bedroom. The soft coolness of your comforter is at odds with the heat of JB's hard body pressing against yours. Digging your nails into JB’s shoulders, you groan when he pauses one last time, “God, Jaebum… Don’t make me beg.” You curse as he smirks at the idea. “Next time,” he promises darkly before bucking into you suddenly. 

Your silent scream gives way to moans as he loses himself in you, his control slipping completely as he makes you lose all sense of time and place as well. All you can feel and all you can see is JB as he takes you higher once more. He holds you with a fierce protectiveness, making you feel safe and complete even as you feel yourself breaking again under the unrelenting waves of pleasure he builds inside you both. 

“Why did I wait so long?”

JB’s tortured groan has you laughing before you spiral over the edge together, a mess of tangled limbs and pure happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) :) :)
> 
> My first time not being a complete tease, hope you guys like it!
> 
> The next chapter is a short epilogue, enjoy!


	10. Chapter 10

** _Epilogue_**

_ Click_.

You giggle mischievously at your screen as you wait for JB to reply to the picture you just sent him. It’s been three months since the boys left on their world tour. Despite a heavy tour schedule and several competitions of your own, you and JB have been sending each other pictures every day. These snapshots were enough to put a smile on your face, even if you didn't actually have time to reply properly or call each other. 

What started out as a sort of selfie therapy on your part had slowly turned into pictures of you taken by your Uncle or your students. You weren’t over your fears, not by a long shot, but you were happy taking it a day at a time. While you did still exchange selfies with JB occasionally, your interest in photography had grown over the last couple of months. Now you were both enjoying being able to share funny shots of friends, scenic views of new cities or even close ups of animals. It was cute how JB always gushed over the pictures of his cats that you had made a habit of sending when you went to check up on them.

This daily picture swap had actually been the catalyst for the road trip you and JB were planning later this year. It will have to wait until after GOT7's world tour and the promotional activities for their new album were done, but you are really looking forward to it. Three days of you and JB driving around the countryside taking pictures, staying at beautiful bed and breakfasts. It sounded like heaven. Daydreaming about it had only made you miss JB more lately though and the urge to see him had gotten unbearable. Slowly, a plan had formed and today you were finally going to put it into action.

_ Ding. _ The familiar chime pulls you from your thoughts, excitement pumping through your veins in a rush. You smile at the background image on your phone, the first selfie you ever took with JB, before you check your messages. You smirk at JB’s oblivious answers.

_ ‘Hey, babe. I miss you.’ _

_ ‘That’s a great picture. Why does that view look familiar though?’ _

His cluelessness is rather cute. Maybe you should help him out? 

_ ‘Because it’s the view from your balcony.’ _

A heartbeat passes before he responds in a rush.

_ ‘How did you…?’ _

_ ‘Are you here? In Bangkok?’ _

You lie back on his hotel bed, angling the camera just enough to give him a glimpse of your lacy black negligee. JB’s scent still lingers on the pillows, pushing your yearning for him into overdrive.

_ Click. _

_ ‘Thank Bambam and Jackson later. Just hurry. I miss you.’ _

You bite your lip, waiting eagerly for JB’s response. He doesn’t disappoint you.

_ ‘Damn... You look beautiful.’ _

_ ‘I don’t think I should thank them though.’ _

_ ‘How am I supposed to finish this interview now?’ _

_ ‘All I can think about is what I’m going to do to you.’ _

Oops, guess the taping ran longer than expected. Unless Bambam gave you the wrong time? You chuckle as you imagine JB trying to keep a straight face in the break room, let alone during the interview. You decide to send a little encouragement before his break is over.

_ ‘Sorry, good luck finishing the interview.’ _

_ ‘I’ll just be waiting here, lying on your bed, thinking about you as I touch myself.’ _

_ ‘I’m aching for you already, Jaebum. Hurry.’ _

You can practically hear JB’s groan in your head when his response comes through.

_ ‘_ ** _Don’t_ ** _. Wait for me baby. I'll be there soon.’ _

What was with him and making you wait? Your vexation only builds your excitement though, the thought of him equally frustrated arousing you more. You squirm helplessly, scrolling through your phone impatiently in an attempt to distract yourself.

Forty agonizing minutes later finds you pinned against the hotel door. JB's mouth is crushed against yours desperately, his searching fingers finding you in an instant. He groans headily, the sound making you clench. "God, I missed you," he mumbles against your skin. "I missed you too" you whisper, relishing in his familiar smell. You whimper when he removes his fingers, only to moan again when he presses himself against you roughly.

As you try to catch your breath, JB whispers dangerously low in your ear, "Sorry I'm late. I'll make it up to you. But, first… I owe you for that picture." You gasp, grasping JB shoulders quickly to steady yourself when he lifts you up suddenly, his hands bringing your legs up to wrap around his waist. JB silently carries you to the bed, his expression one of playful determination, his eyes promising pleasurable retribution. 

Even as you shake in anticipation, your heart feels like it's going to burst. You're so happy to be together again. This is where you belong. You can already see the future stretching out before you and honestly, it looks picture perfect. 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! There you have it folks, hope you enjoyed JB's Part of Look!! :) I'm so happy to finally be able to share it all with you!
> 
> Hopefully I'll be back here with Part 5 soon enough, especially now that I've got an idea for another series haha 
> 
> Thanks for reading!! <3 Send me your thoughts in a comment below, I love to hear from you guys.


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